Manchester United youngster James Overy has been called up to the Australian national team for friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia this month, with several new faces also in the squad.
Manchester United’s rising star James Overy has been given a surprise call-up to the Australian national team for games against Venezuela and Colombia this month. Socceroos manager Tony Popovich has added 11 new players to his squad, with United academy product Overy poised to make another breakthrough following his impressive performance at the Under-20 World Cup.
Overy, who celebrates his 18th birthday this weekend, joined United on a scholarship deal in the summer of 2024 before signing a professional contract in July. In May, Ruben Amorim took him and several other young players to first-team training at Carrington ahead of the Premier League game against Chelsea.
According to the Manchester Evening News, shortly after arriving at the Red Devils, Overy was sidelined with injury for eight months before returning to the Under-18s squad in February. He has been a consistent presence for Darren Fletcher’s side this season, appearing for the Under-21s in Premier League 2 and the National League Cup.
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Former Under-18s manager Adam Lawrence praised Overy’s ability to bounce back from a long-term injury. “It’s been really tough for James because obviously he’s moved from Australia and he’s a great player above all else,” he told MUTV.
“But he got hurt during the preseason, and you can tell he’s a really great young man, a great kid, has really good energy. And he wanted to come back. He stayed positive until the end, so that’s a real credit.”
“In terms of his positivity, it hasn’t affected him. And listen, obviously what happened in the game is unfortunate, but it’s great to have him back and playing football again.”
Ahead of the upcoming international competition, Overy will be looking to take the next leap in his career after earning a place in the Australian squad. With several veteran players injured, Popovich gave a number of rookies a chance.
“This is another opportunity to expand our demographic and introduce players who have not yet been exposed to the Socceroos environment or senior international football,” Popovic said. “We also welcome some familiar faces from Australia and overseas.
“I had the opportunity to closely observe the opening game of the A-League season and believe now is the ideal time to incorporate domestic players into the team. I am pleased to return to the United States and face a strong South American opponent as we continue our preparations for the World Cup.”
Australia will play Venezuela in Houston on November 14 before playing Colombia in New York. The international break represents one of the last opportunities for players to stake their claim for the 2026 World Cup.
The Socceroos have already qualified for the summer tournament and are aiming to advance beyond the round of 16 for the first time since losing to Argentina in Qatar in 2022.
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