Amid Australian soccer’s long pursuit of technical excellence and tactical sophistication, Tony Popovic believes the Socceroos lost a piece of themselves along the way.

Belatedly, it has been found again - and if he can successfully fuse the old to the new, a “special” World Cup awaits, he says.

One of the most notable takeaways from Australia’s 2-1 friendly defeat to the United States earlier this month was the return of the physical aggression that was once a national hallmark - but, to Popovic’s disappointment, has fallen away in recent years.

Scroll to the bottom for a full transcript of Tony Popovic’s hour-long interview this week.

The Americans came into the match promising a similar uncompromising approach. “We kind of have to become hard asses. Excuse my French, but f--- a fr

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