Socceroos' Mohamed Touré Missing Ahead of Türkiye Clash

ALAMEDA, California — The Socceroos’ final preparations for Türkiye were supposed to be routine. One last sharp hit-out at the Oakland Roots and Soul facility, cameras rolling, questions kept for later.

Instead, all eyes were on who wasn’t there.

Mohamed Touré, the 22-year-old expected to spearhead Australia’s attack at this tournament, was missing from the main training group on Wednesday evening, turning a standard session into an instant talking point just days out from the opening Group D clash.

A notable absence, and no answers

For the 15 minutes that media were allowed to watch, every outfield player and goalkeeper in Tony Popovic’s 26-man squad took part in drills. Every one, except Touré.

He had arrived with the team. He was in the group photo before the session. Then, as the balls came out and the tempo rose, he was nowhere to be seen.

Jordan Bos, asked immediately after training, could offer nothing to calm the speculation.

"No, I actually don't know," the defender admitted. "It was actually during training where I noticed he wasn't in there, so I don't know why he wasn't."

The honesty only added to the sense of mystery.

A short time later, a Socceroos spokesperson confirmed that Touré is expected back on the training pitch on Thursday. The session will be held behind closed doors. No details were provided on why the Norwich City forward did not take part on Wednesday.

So the questions linger.

Australia’s attacking linchpin

Any doubt over Touré’s availability is more than a minor selection headache. It cuts to the heart of how Australia intend to attack this tournament.

The Norwich City striker has been widely tipped to lead the line for the Socceroos throughout the campaign, his recent club form and physical profile making him a central piece of Popovic’s plan.

"He's a big asset for us, he's been doing really well, and his new club, he's scoring goals and his power -- everything about him -- is great," Bos said.

That is the player Australia built this forward line around: quick, powerful, direct, and in rhythm in front of goal. Losing him, even briefly, would be a jolt.

With Türkiye looming on Saturday, the timing could hardly be more delicate.

Thin at No. 9

If Touré cannot feature against Türkiye, the depth chart at centre-forward suddenly looks thin.

Tete Yengi would stand as the only recognised fit striker in the squad. The 25-year-old only made his international debut last weekend in San Diego, coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland and scoring a composed 56th-minute equaliser.

It was an eye-catching start to his Socceroos career. Relying on him to lead the line from the outset in a major tournament opener, though, is a very different assignment.

Popovic does have alternatives, but each comes with a tactical trade-off.

Nestory Irankunda, used on the wing against the Swiss, has previously operated through the middle under Popovic. His pace and unpredictability could unsettle Türkiye, yet shifting him centrally would remove a natural wide threat and ask a teenager to shoulder the burden in the most scrutinised role on the pitch.

Then there is Mathew Leckie. The veteran has spent much of his career drifting inside from wide areas, asked to do a little bit of everything in the final third. Popovic, when naming his squad, underlined exactly why coaches lean on him.

"The luxury of Mathew Leckie is that he can play anywhere. He has the experience and maturity that you don't need a week or two of training in a position with him. You can basically show him a video, and he would know what to do."

If Popovic hesitates to start Yengi in such a high-stakes opener, Leckie feels the most natural stopgap: trusted, tactically intelligent, and battle-tested.

Closed doors, open speculation

For now, the official line is simple: Touré is expected back at training on Thursday. No more, no less.

The decision to shut that session off from outside eyes only sharpens the intrigue. In tournament football, every detail becomes magnified, every absence a story. A forward who has been central to pre-tournament planning misses a visible session, and the questions write themselves.

Inside camp, Popovic will be desperate for clarity. Does he prepare as if Touré starts and builds the game plan around his presence? Or does he pivot now, give Yengi, Leckie or Irankunda the main-rehearsal minutes, and commit to a different shape if the worst-case scenario arrives?

Australia’s opening game is close enough that there is no room for half-measures. The Socceroos need their No. 9 settled, their patterns rehearsed, their combinations automatic.

On Thursday, behind closed doors in Alameda, they will get their answer on Touré.

The real question is whether they will have to change the face of their attack just as the tournament begins.