Socceroos shock as in-form star retires from Aussie duties before crucial Asian Cup campaign

Socceroos midfielder Massimo Luongo has announced his international retirement in a bombshell move less than 48 hours before Australia coach Graham Arnold names his 26-man squad for January’s Asian Cup.

Luongo only returned to the Socceroos’ fold in October when he made his first appearance in the green and gold since January 2019, having battled repeated injuries in that nearly four-year absence.

But on the back of a stunning return to form in 2023 Luongo was set to be selected for a third Asian Cup, having played a crucial role in the Socceroos’ sole triumph on home soil in 2015 where he won the tournament’s most valuable player award.

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But the 31-year-old ruled himself out of selection for next month’s tournament - and retired completely from international football - in order to remain with his club Ipswich Town as they push for promotion to the Premier League.

Luongo has been a key member of the Ipswich side this season, featuring in 21 league matches to guide the team to second on the ladder and just three points behind high-flying Leicester City.

Earning promotion to England’s top flight would pocket Luongo a healthy financial bonus. Equally crucial for Luongo’s future is the looming end to his club contract at season’s end.

Missing up to six weeks of club football to travel to Qatar for the Asian Cup in January, where Luongo would not have expected to be a nailed-on starter for Arnold’s side, would have had a significant impact on both Ipswich Town and Luongo’s contract hopes for next season – either at Ipswich or elsewhere.

“It was a hugely frustrating time to be on the sidelines to regularly and to be honest, there were many points in the last few years where I felt my international career had passed me by. To eventually have everything come together and get that call from Arnie was a great reward for all that hard work,” Luongo said.

“Coming back into camp was an amazing experience and to be able to get back on the pitch against New Zealand was a really nice moment for me and my family.

“This hasn’t been a decision I’ve taken lightly, but I’ve got to prioritise managing my body as my career goes on. I’ve loved my journey with the national team and will always cherish the moments I’ve had in this jersey I look forward to watching on now as this group of young players drive the Socceroos culture forward.”

Luongo, who debuted for Australia in 2014, finishes his career with 45 international appearances and six goals.

Besides playing almost every minute of the 2015 Asian Cup triumph, where he assisted both goals in the semi-final before scoring himself in the final, Luongo also featured at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and the 2019 Asian Cup.

Arnold will name his squad for the tournament at 10am Friday AEDT.

Following on from the success of expanded 26-man squads from the 2022 World Cup, the AFC made a late decision to expand squad sizes from the usual 23 to 26 players, in a significant change only revealed in the last few hours.

The move provides a major boost for Arnold, who can use the additional spaces to include players who offer tactical or positional flexibility.