Ipswich Town: Massimo Luongo sees Australia re-call as a ‘reward’

The midfielder hasn’t featured at international level since 2019, but his impressive performances at Portman Road have earned him a place in Graham Arnold’s squad for tonight’s game against England and next week’s clash with New Zealand.

Luongo had a difficult time towards the end of his spell at Sheffield Wednesday, and his subsequent move to Middlesbrough was even worse, but he feels pleased that he’s managed to turn things around and return to represent his country.

“I had a pretty tragic run of injuries which kept me out for a little bit,” he said at the Socceroos training camp at The Hive  Stadium in Barnet.

“If anything, it was just about getting everything right off the pitch, like mentally, working hard and being happy.

“Before you know it, I was 30 years old! 31 already. It’s one of those that I think about because I had so much going on that I needed to get right.

“That was the priority, I think. Then I think that a call-up is a little reward for me for working hard and getting myself back to where I needed to be.”

Of course, a lot has changed since Luongo was last involved with Australia.

There are plenty of new faces, including Town teammate Cameron Burgess, but he doesn’t feel at all intimidated, highlighting how he’s settled into the new-look Socceroos squad.

“It’s weird, very weird,” he admitted.

“It’s enjoyable. It’s nice to see everyone. Players have changed. When Aussies meet, it feels like they’ve known each other for a while, so it’s a nice environment to come back into.

“To be fair, I didn’t know many! Jacko (Jackson Irvine), Aziz (Behich), obviously I know Burge (Burgess). I’ve been sticking with Burge for a long time. Maty Ryan, obviously.

“We’re just catching up again.”