GOODWIN IN HIS PRIME

Craig targets World Cup

Socceroos veteran Craig Goodwin says he is motivated to play on until the 2026 World Cup after a virtuosic performance against Lebanon on Tuesday night.

Goodwin set up two goals then added two of his own in a memorable 5-0 win, drawing widespread praise from his teammates and coach Graham Arnold.

The win books the Socceroos’ place in the next phase of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the US, Mexico, and Canada.

And after years of injury niggles – including surgery on a hernia in July last year – he says he believes he’s “in his prime” and has “too much to give” to walk away from the Socceroos before the next World Cup.

Goodwin had to miss the first match against Lebanon, a 2-0 win in Sydney on Thursday, after contracting a virus on his flight back from Saudi Arabia, where he plays his club football.

He said after the match: “For myself, really happy to be able to come in after missing last week. Whenever these windows come up, I want to be involved in every single game and play as much as I can.

“So to miss that one, watching at home on TV, it was obviously a little bit hard to take. But I’m really happy I could make up for it tonight.”

He more than made up for it, beginning in the second minute with a perfectly-placed cross for former Adelaide teammate Kusini Yengi to net his maiden Socceroos goal.

Lebanon was wholly unable to deal with Goodwin’s crossing and set-piece delivery all night, and the veteran could well have added a couple more assists had teammates Harry Souttar and Ajdin Hrustic converted gilt-edged the first half.

Goodwin revealed a conversation with Arnold after January’s Asian Cup only added to his motivation to push on for the Australian side on the road to ’26, despite persistent injuries in recent years.

Asked whether the next World Cup was motivating him, Goodwin said: “Yeah, absolutely. Arnie and I did speak at the Asian Cup and we discussed what I was wanting to do. In particular, the last two to three years I’ve really struggled in terms of having consistent niggles and consistent injuries. That’s really because I’ve played with pain in the season then had to deal with it in the off-season and not had much time off.”

But Goodwin is working tirelessly to make sure his body is capable of playing for at least two more years.

He added: “I’m taking a lot of action away from the field to try to give myself the best possible chance to be here longer.

“Because I feel performance wise and ability wise and physically, at times when I am feeling good, I feel I’m in my prime.

“And I feel I have too much to give to be able to walk away just now. So I have had the conversation but that is definitely driving me. Whether I get there or not, we will see in a few years’ time. But right now the motivation is to get the body right, make sure I’m in a good physical condition so I can put in more performances just like I did tonight.”

Arnold also opened up on what was said.

“The conversation we had after the Asian Cup was pretty much: ‘you only have a short career in life, don’t throw it away now. Keep going, just do one year at a time,’” he said.

“That’s pretty much what we had the discussion about … I think he’s nearly in his prime.” chances in