Socceroos defender Lucas Herrington admits he’ll forever be grateful to former boss Ruben Zadkovich – the man who famously labelled him ‘the best defender in Australian football’.
Herrington was named in Socceroos Head Coach Tony Popovic’s 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup following a stunning 17-month period which has seen him go from A-Leagues debutant to one of the most sought-after young defenders in world football.
Seemingly ahead of the curve at the time, Zadkovich’s comments regarding Herrington’s ability came ahead of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season where he labelled then 17-year-old Herrington ‘the best defender in Australian football’ – despite the fact the central defender was yet to make his first team debut at the time.
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Fast-forward three months and Herrington was eventually given his first professional minutes by Zadkovich in December 2024, and would subsequently go on to feature another 16 times before the end of the campaign.
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“Oh, you know, it was awesome, I was there!” smiled Herrington when asked for his reflections on that now famous press conference statement from former Roar boss Zadkovich.
“Ruben was my first professional coach. He gave me my debut for the Roar, so I’ll forever be grateful to him for that opportunity.
Lucas Herrington
“I probably wouldn’t be here today (without that), so you know I got a lot to thank for Ruben, and yeah, just as a player, having that belief from your coach goes a long way.
“It gives you confidence just to play your game, don’t worry about mistakes. Ruben was top and really instrumental in getting me here, so I’ll always be grateful to him.”
Following that introductory season to men’s football Herrington then became a mainstay of the Brisbane Roar side in the early stages of the 2025-26 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign as he stock continued to rise.
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His time playing professional football in Australia would be short-lived though as Herrington was quickly snapped up by MLS side Colorado Rapids during the mid-season transfer window for a deal reportedly worth $800k AUD.
Mathew Leckie and Lucas Herrington of Australia
His early performances in America have clearly caught the attention of more than just national team boss Tony Popovic, with reports suggesting numerous Premier League cubs are interested in acquiring the services of the prodigious young talent.
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For Herrington though it’s all just about living in the moment.
“It has been a lot, but you know it’s a dream come true to make the final squad,” said Herrington when speaking at an open training session on Wednesday.
“Hopefully I can get some minutes, but you know, I’ve loved every minute of camp, all the boys have worked hard, so it’s a great group to be a part of and I’m so happy to be here.
“So grateful to the coaches for the opportunity, and yeah, hopefully I can get some minutes in the World Cup.”
Herrington automatically becomes the 11th youngest player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup following his selection in Popovic’s squad.
Furthermore, should he be named to start any match at the tournament then the Queenslander will overtake Socceroo and current Perth Glory captain Adam Taggart as the youngest player (21) to start a World Cup fixture for Australia.
Having recently just been defeated 1-0 by Mexico in Los Angeles, the Socceroos now face Switzerland in San Diego in what will be their final World Cup warm-up clash.
Popovic’s side take on Turkiye in their Group D opener in Vancouver on Sunday, June 14.
