Graham Arnold backs Socceroos captain Mat Ryan to get club minutes with AS Roma ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan won’t settle for playing as a back-up at new club AS Roma as the Socceroos aim to directly qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ryan, 32, has secured a move to the Serie A after leaving Dutch club AZ Alkmaar during the off-season transfer window.
The Italian club had been looking for an experienced keeper as an alternative to Belgium-born, Serbian international Mile Svilar ahead of the new season beginning in August.
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“I spoke to Maty before he signed,” Arnold said on Wednesday.
“It’s 50-50. He’s not going there to be a second keeper at all. He’s going there to be number one.
“They’ve got a young Belgian keeper at this moment in time and they wanted a top experience goalkeeper so Maty is going there.
“He’s got a strong belief in himself and he’s expecting to go there and play.
“A club like Roma, they’re going to play 60-odd games this year with Champions League, and obviously the Serie A and cup competitions.
“And then we’ve got in this calendar year 10 international games, so that’s 70 games.
“If he gets 30, we’ll be very happy.”
Ryan was absent from Australia’s matches against Bangladesh and Palestine in June with a minor knee injury but is shaping up as a key cog for their World Cup aspirations.
But his decade-long claim on the Socceroos No.1 jersey won’t come without challenge.
Aston Villa keeper Joe Gauci put up a convincing argument after keeping two clean sheets in June while former Melbourne Victory shot-stopper Paul Izzo is in Europe after signing a three-year deal with Danish Superliga side Randers FC.
The Socceroos, in Group C for the third Asian round of World Cup qualifying, return to action with a home clash against Bahrain at Robina Stadium on September 5.
Their next home match at Adelaide Oval against China on October 10.
