Man Utd Teen Overy Earns First Australia Call-Up

Manchester United's teenage prospect James Overy has earned his first call-up to Australia's senior national team, positioning the 18-year-old fullback as a potential contender for the 2026 World Cup squad despite lacking senior competitive experience.

The right-back, who turned 18 last weekend, joins the Socceroos for upcoming friendlies against Venezuela on November 14 in Houston and Colombia in New York. Australia coach Tony Popovic included Overy in a 25-man squad featuring 11 changes from the previous international window, incorporating several uncapped players amid injuries to key defenders. Popovic emphasized the matches as an opportunity to build depth ahead of the World Cup in North America, stating that selections aim to expose emerging talents to senior international football.

Overy, eligible to represent Australia, Scotland, or England due to his heritage, has opted to pursue his international career with the Socceroos, where he grew up in Perth before relocating to England with his family in 2023. He briefly played for Scotland's under-19 team in friendlies earlier this year but expressed enthusiasm for switching allegiances. "I have been playing for Scotland, but...