ANALYSIS: Aberdeen goalkeeper Nick Suman’s admirable Australia World Cup 2026 ambition – but what do experts make of squad chances?

 

Some expert perspectives on Aberdeen custodian Nick Suman’s World Cup ambitions for Australia, as well as a look at his Socceroos squad rivals.

Aberdeen’s new custodian, Nick Suman, deserves credit for stating unequivocally his desire to be a member of Australia’s World Cup 2026 squad next summer.

Despite being a youth international for his country, the 25-year-old has only recently joined Pittodrie after impressing for League One Cove Rangers.

Suman has been signed as a backup to departed number two Ross Doohan, with the short-term goal of pushing regular Dons starter and Bulgaria international keeper Dimitar Mitov, who saved a penalty for the Reds in the Scottish Cup in May.

In the long run, Suman has made it clear that he wants to compete on the biggest stage in football, which begins in the United States in June of next year.

And that is the type of ambition you want to see. Someone believes in themselves and their abilities. The Dons can only benefit from this determination.

Suman, who also saved a penalty in a Dons XI defeat at Highland League Inverurie Locos on Wednesday evening, told The Press and Journal at the weekend that the Australian squad is one of his goals for the upcoming season with the World Cup approaching.

“I’m just going to work as hard as I can to prove that I’m good enough to reach that level. “I believe I am, so I just need to be patient and try to get as many games as I can this season.”

Suman’s goal of putting himself in contention for a Socceroos World Cup squad is admirable, but his new Dons teammates, striker Kusini Yengi and wideman Nicolas Milanovic, are more likely to be selected.

Does Suman need to unseat Aberdeen no.1 Mitov to stand chance of Aussie recognition?

To have a chance of making Tony Popovic’s senior Australian squad, Suman’s (obvious) most basic and important next step – as he knows – is to play games for Aberdeen in the upcoming season.

First-choice Mitov, the Dons’ custodian, will be hoping for fewer interruptions this season. Last season, the Reds number one suffered a couple of injuries, so former understudy Doohan ended up making 18 starts for Jimmy Thelin’s Dons (compared to Mitov’s 33).

 

If Mitov suffers similar misfortune this season – a hamstring injury followed by a collision-induced shoulder problem last season – Suman will have the opportunity to impress, potentially in European football.

The consensus view of two Australian football experts, who differ in their rating of Suman’s overall Socceroos World Cup squad chances, is that Suman requires a lot of minutes in the new season;

“playing consistently,” or even “every game,” while also performing well in those matches. Once Aberdeen’s competitive season begins, Suman is expected to compete for the starting spot with his far more experienced rival Mitov.

Sacha Pisani, an Australian football journalist, stated, “I don’t think there’s a cross through any Aussie (name), as long as they play consistently and perform well.”

“There are quite a lot of Australian goalkeepers out there, so he has work to do – but no door’s closed.”

‘Unless he plays every game for Aberdeen and kills it’

Vince Rugari, a sports journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, believes Suman has set himself a “very” ambitious target with less than a year until the World Cup.

Referring to the long list of keepers ahead of the new Don in the Socceroos pecking order at the moment, Rugari believes “unless he plays every game for Aberdeen and kills it,” his chances of getting on the plane to America are slim.

Suman’s Australian goalkeeping rivals

While Australia has a well-established number one in 100-cap legend Mat Ryan, 33, who most recently played for Lens, and a long list of keepers, none of their other keepers have won more than 10 caps.

Here are some of the goalkeepers Suman, who has time on his side, will be looking to replace in the Socceroos squad if he joins Aberdeen this season:

Paul Izzo, a 30-year-old custodian from Danish club Randers, was called up alongside Ryan to the last Australia squad in June but has yet to be capped by his country.

Joe Gauci – 25 years old. Gauci was signed from the A-League by English Premier League club Aston Villa for more than £1 million in 2024, but he has yet to play for Villa’s first team and has spent the remainder of the season on loan at Barnsley. He has seven caps, however, and was also a member of the previous Socceroos squad.

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