James Overy Receives Socceroos Call-Up Ahead of World Cup
James Overy, an 18-year-old right-back, has yet to make his senior football debut and only joined Manchester United last summer. Remarkably, he was born after Australia reached their first World Cup in 2006.
However, Overy, who played for United's Under-18 team against Leeds on Saturday, has been called up to the Socceroos squad for upcoming friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States. This opportunity could potentially lead him to next summer's finals.
Originally from Perth, Overy moved to Devon in 2023, where he played for Newton Abbot Spurs in the South West Peninsula League before being signed by United's academy a year later. His progress was briefly hindered by a significant Achilles tendon injury, but his talent has shone through during his appearances at both Under-18 and Under-21 levels, including matches against senior teams in the National League Cup.
Known for his speed and ability to support central defenders while advancing forward, Overy's selection is largely attributed to his performances for Australia at last month's Under-20 World Cup in Chile, despite the team's inability to advance beyond the group stage.
Australia's head coach, Tony Popovic, expressed interest in Overy, stating, "He's worth having a look at," despite the young player not yet being part of a matchday squad for United's senior team. Popovic added, "I’m open-minded about what that looks like for the immediate future and long term. Watching him closely in Chile, I was impressed. We have good contacts at Manchester United, so we know what he’s doing at training. He’s in the process where he’s getting called up to first-team training a lot more often."
Overy is one of seven uncapped players in the Australian squad as Popovic aims to strengthen the team's depth ahead of next summer's World Cup, marking the seventh consecutive tournament for which they have qualified.
Interestingly, Overy is also eligible to represent Scotland, having played for their Under-19 team. He could potentially join fellow full-back Diego Leon (Paraguay) and winger James Scanlon (Gibraltar) in making his senior international debut before having played a first-team match for Manchester United.