Football Australia has publicly reaffirmed its support for Socceroos coach Tony Popovic following Australia's elimination from the FIFA World Cup after a penalty shootout defeat to Egypt.

The governing body's executive director of football, Heather Garriock, and chief executive Martin Kugeler defended Popovic's tactical decisions, describing him as a courageous coach and insisting he retains their full confidence.

The most debated decision came in the 119th minute, when goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who had impressed throughout the tournament, was replaced by experienced captain Maty Ryan specifically for the penalty shootout.Ryan was unable to save any penalties as Australia lost 4-2 after the match finished 1-1 following extra time.

Critics, including former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, questioned the logic of introducing a goalkeeper who had not played during the tournament immediately before penalties.

Additional criticism focused on the choice of defenders Harry Souttar and 18-year-old Lucas Herrington as penalty takers, with both failing to convert their attempts.

Football Australia maintained that these decisions were based on the coaching staff's preparation, training observations and judgement in the moment rather than hindsight.Garriock also praised Herrington's maturity and bravery, arguing the experience would benefit his development.

Despite the disappointing exit, Football Australia described the World Cup campaign as a significant achievement, highlighting Australia's direct qualification under Popovic, an 11-match winning streak before the tournament, victories including a notable 2-0 win over Türkiye, and progression from a difficult group into the knockout stage.

Officials also defended their earlier decision to extend Popovic's contract through the next AFC Asian Cup, expressing confidence that he is the right coach to build on the team's progress.