Portsmouth defender Hayden Matthews handed timely World Cup boost despite Fratton frustrations
Hayden Matthews has featured 14 times for Pompey in all competitions this season and has earned a timely international call-up to the Australia squad ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
Hayden Matthews’ hopes of a World Cup call-up have been given a huge boost.
The Pompey defender has been rewarded with a place in the Socceroos’ pre-tournament training camp, which begins this week in Sarasota, Florida
The Aussie will be joined by fellow Championship defender Harry Souttar as well as A-League stars Mitch Duke, Mathew Leckie, Nishan Velupillary, Anthony Caceres, Brandon Borrello and Nick D’Agostino for the important get-together that will grow in size once players’ domestic commitments have been fulfilled.
Pompey defender Hayden Matthews selected for pre-World Cup squad
The camp will provide head coach Tony Popovic the opportunity to run the rule over potential options ahead of this summer’s competition, which gets underway in June.
The 52-year-old will announce his final 26-man squad on June 1, with the latest camp giving players - including Matthews - the chance to maintain fitness as well as boosting the possibility of a call-up for the upcoming tournament.
The young talent’s campaign, of course, came to a close over the weekend as Pompey played out a 1-1 draw against Birmingham City at Fratton Park.
It represented the centre-back’s second-successive start since December. And he impressed, with his driving run playing a key role in Adrian Segecic’s eighth-minute opener.
After suffering an ankle issue in the 5-0 defeat to Bristol City, Matthews returned to action in late February, when he was named on the bench against Hull City.
However, the January 2025 arrival appeared in a match-day squad in just one of the next 10 matches until as he fell down John Mousinho’s pecking order at the heart of defence.
After strong performances against Stoke and Birmingham City, though, the Aussie has since been called up to the Socceroos’ upcoming training camp across the Atlantic.
Why Socceroos boss selected Pompey favourite for World Cup camp
Speaking over his decision to include Matthews in the Florida camp, Popovic explained: ‘We are starting - US time in Florida - a training camp. It’s really to give them a chance to get in the squad.
‘If we give them a week or two off, then we feel they will fall behind.
‘Hayden Matthews is the same (as Harry Souttar). He’s played the last couple of games (for Pompey) but has had a lot of injuries this year.
‘We want to give the boy an opportunity to make himself available and we are sure this camp will help these players.’
The former Sydney FC man was named on the bench in four international friendlies at the start of the campaign, but was left out of Popovic’s camps in November and March.
Since his Pompey arrival in early 2025, Matthews has totalled 20 appearances in all competitions for the Blues and still has three years to run on his current terms.