Australia suffered a heartbreaking exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s round of 32 in a penalty shootout loss to Egypt on Friday in Arlington, TX. The Socceroos had a chance to even up the shootout 3-3, but Lucas Herrington's attempt hit the crossbar.

What happened?

Herrington is just 18 years old and is a very promising Australian talent who also plays in the MLS for the Colorado Rapids.

Reaction from Zlatan Ibrahimović

And after the match, Fox Sports World Cup studio analyst Zlatan Ibrahimović offered words of encouragement for Herrington. “Penalty is like lottery,” Ibrahimović explained.

Current context

As of July 4, 2026, Australia's recent form has been 2W-0D-3L, with their last result being a 3-0 loss to Colombia on November 19, 2025. | Date | Result | | --- | --- | | 2025-11-19 | Colombia 3-0 Australia | Currently sidelined are M. Leckie and J. Italiano.

What comes next?

The Socceroos will look to regroup and rebuild after this tough loss. And with young talent like Lucas Herrington, the future looks bright for Australia.