Lucas Herrington, a graduate of the Brisbane Roar Academy, has been named in the Socceroos’ 26-player squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, becoming one of the youngest players in Tony Popovic’s selection.
The 18-year-old central defender joined the Roar’s academy in 2019 as a 13-year-old, coming through junior football at Taringa Rovers, Toowong FC and Brisbane City before spending five years in the club’s NPL development pathway. His inclusion in a World Cup squad is one of the more striking outcomes the academy has produced.
A debut season that turned heads
Herrington earned a three-year scholarship with Brisbane Roar in September 2024 and made his A-League Men debut that December in a 2-2 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers. He scored his first senior goal the following month in a 4-3 win over Sydney FC, one of the league’s bigger scalps.
By the end of his first top-flight season, Herrington had made 17 appearances, won the Roar Young Player of the Year award, and starred in the Young Socceroos‘ successful AFC U20 Asian Cup campaign.
A rapid rise to the World Cup
Strong early-season form in 2025-26 earned him a January 2026 move to Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He has started every match since, becoming a regular in defence for Colorado Rapids.
He made his senior Socceroos debut against Cameroon in late March and featured in a pre-tournament friendly against Mexico at the Rose Bowl in front of more than 75,000 spectators.
Brisbane Roar congratulated Herrington on the achievement, noting his journey from the academy pathways at Milton through to the world’s most watched football tournament.
Australia’s path through Group D
The Socceroos open their World Cup campaign against Türkiye at BC Place in Vancouver on Saturday 14 June at 2pm AEST. They then face the United States at Lumen Field in Seattle on Saturday 20 June at 5am AEST, before playing Paraguay at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Friday 26 June at 12pm AEST.
Published 2-June-2026
