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Veteran winger Craig Goodwin’s hopes of being chosen in the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup squad are in tatters, with the Adelaide United skipper set to spend up to three months on the sidelines after injuring his groin.
Goodwin, 34, suffered the injury in the Reds’ 3-2 loss to A-League leaders Newcastle at Coopers Stadium on Sunday when he was substituted after only 25 minutes.
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The Adelaide club announced on Tuesday that Goodwin would not require surgery but was set to be missing for 10 to 12 weeks as he completed his “rehabilitation”.
A 12-week absence would not have Goodwin returning until early May, and by then the Reds’ season could be over if they fail to qualify for the A-League finals series.
Even a 10-week absence would give the Reds’ stalwart very little time to convince Socceroos coach Tony Popovic to pick him in Australia’s squad for the World Cup, which starts on June 11.
Goodwin has made 32 appearances for the Socceroos, with his seven goals including one in Australia’s 4-1 loss France at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
His most recent national appearance was in November, when he was used as a left wing-back in Australia’s 1-0 loss to Venezuela in Houston, where he played the opening half before being substituted.
That was his first Socceroos appearance since having come on as a replacement in Australia’s 5-1 thrashing of Indonesia in Sydney eight months earlier.
Goodwin returned to the Reds in the off-season for a fourth spell with the club after two seasons in Saudi Arabia with Al-Wehda.
