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ALLIANZ STADIM, SYDNEY — There was a little less tension in the air for this penalty shootout than the last one Australian football was front and centre in at the World Cup, and the only thing that screams pre-season more than spot kicks after a 1-1 draw in a friendly is when an entire outfield is subbed off within 90 minutes, which Roberto De Zerbi did tonight.

Dane Scarlett slid home the winning penalty but once again, the A-League hosts gave another good account of themselves against Premier League opposition in a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes.

Spurs’ penalty line-up summed up the quality on show that Sydney had to contend with, despite De Zerbi saving a number of his big guns for the weekend’s clash with Chelsea, with the bright teenager Luca Williams-Barnett, record signing Sandro Tonali and Liverpool Premier League winner Andy Robertson trading penalties with Gabriel Popovic and Al Hassan Toure before 19-year-old Joe Lacey struck the woodwork. He was bailed out by his keeper Gus Hoefsloot diving far to his right to thwart Jamie Donley but Martin Dubravka then stood up to save Alexander Popovic with a replica save.

After the swashbuckling 10-goal thriller between Chelsea and Western Sydney, the second clash in the Sydney Super Cup, in front of a subdued Wednesday night crowd, felt more like a pre-season hitout but there was still enough for both sets of fans to take away.

For Spurs, Mathys Tel’s sparkling first half goal was the highlight, but fans also saw the introduction of Sandro Tonali and Andy Robertson in the second half, as well as glimpses of the fluidity, press and desire to pass end to end from De Zerbi’s side – although not consistently over the 90 minutes.

That was because Patrick Kisnorbo’s side grew into the game, and as their young brigade of players acquitted themselves well, one of their more experienced players, new recruit Takhiro Sekine from Urawa Red Diamonds, opened his account for the club with the equalising goal, the result of some typically clever craft from Tiago Quintal, which forced Kota Takai to scramble his attempted intercept into Sekine’s path.

The hosts couldn’t get a sniff over the opening 15 minutes as De Zerbi’s side dominated with the ball as the Sky Blues retreated.

A lot went through Archie Gray in the middle of the park, with reportedly wantaway Lucas Bergvall and Connor Callagher alongside him. When Sydney got stretched or their press didn’t work, they were able to cut through the centre of the park alarmingly easily.

It was a nervous start, too. Goalkeeper Gus Hoefsloot, deputising for Harrison Devenish-Meares, was wayward on the ball and had to save off Tel after handing the ball straight to him. Jordan Courtney Perkins also had to clear a Callagher effort off the line.

But the A-League side managed to settle; for some reason Spurs retreated a little and the likes of Wataru Kamijo and Rhys Youlley got a little bit of time to settle.

The thing about these fixtures, is the touring teams are littered with quality and can hurt you just when you think you’re in the game.

In a half that had yielded little, Spurs got a free-kick just before the half hour mark and Tel stepped up and stroked a majestic goal into the top corner. De Zerbi might have rested a roll call of his most high profile squad members, but that was a strike the Spurs fans in attendance will cherish having seen.

Gallagher hit the post not long after, but Sydney’s young stars, pleasingly for the home fans, showed they weren’t rattled and regrouped – none more so than Mathias Macallister, who audaciously tried to chip Dubravka from within his own half and had him scrambling, before almost chipping past him minutes later after a run in behind.

The introduction of 17-year-old Williams-Barnett down the left livened things up for Spurs and he had a great battle with veteran Sydney skipper Rhyan Grant, 18 years his senior. He hit the woodwork almost immediately after coming on, before Richarlison, well contained, appealed for a penalty after an Alexander Popovic scramble in the box.

Sydney really settled in the middle part of the half and started to press a bit more positively around the period that they were rewarded with a goal; Quintal drove towards the final third and was rewarded for his clever reverse pass that deflected into Sekine’s path.

But as both sides rung the changes and De Zerbi completely changed all 10 outfield players, he had the likes of record signing Tonali on the park. The Italian forced a save low in the 68th minute, while Robertson forced a fine save across the face of goal and also whipped a classic ball to the back post that Yan Min-Hyeok ought to have prodded home. The hosts were forced deeper and deeper. They also continued to try to play out from the back, which invited further pressure – but Spurs were not good enough to deliver the final ball, until the match was decided from the penalty spot.

The final match of the Sydney Super Cup is on Saturday night between Chelsea and Tottenham at Accor Stadium.

Mathys Tel was lured to Tottenham by Ange Postecoglou in February 2025, with the Australian coach prising the attacking talent from Bayern Munich as part of his vision in north London.

Postecoglou is long gone but an Australian crowd got to see the French attacking player light up Allianz Stadium with a sparkling free-kick that brought the Sydney Super Cup clash with Sydney FC to life.

The Premier League outfit had dominated the opening part of the first half before Patrick Kisnorbo’s outfit started to find their way back into the game.

But just when they thought they had, the 21-year-old stepped up on the edge of the area, centrally, and curled his dead ball effort majestically past Gus Hoefsloot, who was deputising for Harrison Devenish-Meares and couldn’t get close at full stretch.

“It was a great finish. He has probably been the best player of the pitch in the first half and deserved his goal,” Spurs legend Ledley King told Paramount at half-time.

“There have been few moments of quality, that is definitely one them. Tottenham have dominated the ball.”

It augers well for the winger, who only scored four times in 42 games for Spurs in all competitions last term.

The 29th minute goal put Roberto De Zerbi’s side 1-0 up in their second clash Down Under, following their 2-0 win over Auckland and ahead of their Saturday night showdown with Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur have named a more experienced team for the second match of their pre-season tour, with several big names selected from the start against Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

After scoring in a 2-0 win over Auckland FC over the weekend, Richarlison leads the line Roberto De Zerbi’s Spurs as they look to continue building momentum.

Other notable stars named to line up from minute one are Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Manor Salamon and Ben Davies.

New signing Martin Dubravka sees his first minutes in a Tottenham shirt, while young guns Rio Kuerematen, Malachi Hardy and Tye Hall round out the XI.

Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is Swedish midfielder Bergvall, who has been named despite transfer talk linking him with a string of Premier League rivals including Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Fulham.

FOLLOW THE GAME LIVE IN OUR SYDNEY FC V SPURS LIVE BLOG

Australian fans hoping to see the likes of James Maddison, Matheus Fernandes, Dominic Solanke, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso or Destiny Udogie will be disappointed, with the high profile contingent not even in the matchday squad.

However, there is a chance that the likes of Andy Robertson and Sandro Tonali could see game time, having been selected to start on the bench.

Meanwhile, Sydney FC have named a strong starting XI, featuring new signing Takahiro Sekine, with the former Urawa Red Diamonds captain joining the club earlier this month and bringing with him over 400 professional matches of experience.

Disappointingly, Aussie wonderkid Akol Akon is missing from the Sky Blues XI named by Patrick Kisnorbo after picking up a knock, while Harrison Devenish-Meares is also out having revealed he had undergone surgery on Instagram this week.

Rhyan Grant captains a side which comprises young guns like goalkeeper Gus Hoeflsoot, Tiago Quintal and Mathias Macallister, who will be hoping to impress and put themselves in the shop window.

New signings Jake Hollman, Gabriel Popovic and Ethan Dyer are among the substitutes.

When Luke Casserly returned to coaching at National Premier League level in New South Wales with Hills United, he probably didn’t envision standing on the sidelines at Eden Park in the most attended game of men’s club football in New Zealand’s history, shaking hands with Roberto de Zerbi in front of 40,112 fans as Tottenham took on Auckland FC.

Casserly, who was lured to the A-League club by Steve Corica, has been in charge of the squad since the Championship-winning coach’s departure to Yokohama F.Marinos. After leading the side to OFC Pro League success, he got the chance to match wits with one of football’s most fascinating coaching personalities, even enjoying an embrace with a coach he has long admired.

“They knew why they were there, they were keen to promote the game, (they’d had) a lot of travel and quick turn around, (but) he was full of compliments,” Casserly told football360.com.au.

“Class act, really.

“As a coach he is someone I have admired for a long time, how he goes about his football. Not that I had a lot of time with him but it was nice to have that little connection, it was cool.”

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SYDNEY SUPER CUP: How to watch Tottenham v Sydney FC: TV channel, live stream, kick-off time, tickets

While Spurs named a young line-up, captained by 20-year-old Archie Gray, what struck Casserly was the intensity in De Zerbi’s movements on the sideline, respecting this first game of the tour like it was as important as any other contest.

“What I like, it’s a friendly game and they started with a lot of their younger boys as well in the game, but he was out in the technical area and whistling to the players and wanting them to shift the ball more quickly, wanting them to shift it from one side to the other.

“So you can see that he’s quite demanding and he wants the game played in a certain way.

“From that side I think that was good. It was good for our boys to see that as well, that these guys are the best pros going around. They’re EPL players and no matter what the scenario is or the situation or who they’re playing, their coaches are demanding that things are done the right way. And I thought that was good to see.”

It continues the journey of the former Football Australia Head of National Performance’s return to the dugout, where he will remain at Auckland for the upcoming A-League campaign, although Football360 understands that the widely reported pursuit of Portuguese coach Pedro Moreira will be confirmed imminently.

Having worked more with the younger players and OFC Pro League squad, preparing for this contest was Casserly’s first chance to get his hands really dirty with the first team players.

“It was great to allow the players to get a lot more insight to how I work and how I view the game,” Casserly said.

“So I think that’s been a positive and then obviously, when the new coach comes in then, I’m just really looking forward to the opportunity and hopefully I can learn a lot from him and keep progressing as a coach.”

Auckland has opened up an extra coaching pathway for aspiring coaches in Australia and New Zealand, and as the OFC Pro League, A-League silverware, imminent Intercontinental Cup and this pre-season friendly mix show, opportunity beckons.

“Delighted that I get the opportunity and then you’ve got to get in and make the most of it. But certainly two years ago I didn’t think I would be at Eden Park shaking hands with De Zerbi in front of forty thousand people.”

With Auckland mid-pre season and Spurs in the early moments of their own preparation and a tour Down Under, both sides were understandably under strength on the weekend, with Casserly giving a lot of his youngsters an opportunity too to experience the occasion, without forcing the side’s established stars back too quickly.

Still, he saw enough to think De Zerbi’s Spurs won’t suffer the same difficulties as Tottenham did last term.

“I think with De Zerbi in charge and the signings that they’ve made, they’ll be alright. I’m not quite sure they’re going be challenging for the for the title, but I think they’ll be a lot better than they were.

“The big thing for Spurs over the last couple of years, even when Ange Postecoglou was there, is the amount of players that ended up in the medical room. So I think that’s something that if they can get on the better of that and have all of their best players healthy and available is going to make a massive difference because they haven’t had that for a couple of years.”

For a club still so early in its infancy, this fixture continued a fairy tale ride, which will include a clash with Al-Ahli in the FIFA Intercontinental Club World Cup later this year.

“Fantastic for us,” he beamed.

“Obviously we won the premiers plate in the A-League the previous season but being from New Zealand and part of OFC we (don’t) qualify for the Asian Champions League so as a member of OFC through the OFC Pro League, we as a club get to qualify for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

“The A-League team that will participate in that so it’s really perfect at the back end of August for our pre season to have something to look forward to now that we’re no longer in the Australia Cup.”

The weekend’s festivities, off the back of New Zealand being back in a World Cup, and Auckland’s A-League success with silverware in consecutive seasons, is creating a tangible sense of momentum for football in New Zealand.

“What’s happened in recent times shows that Auckland was ready for a team,” he said.

“So when we talk about expansion in the A-League, it’s sometimes a bit of a gamble that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t work. And this is certainly a case where the city was really ready for a team and I think that’s shown.

“As a football fan in Auckland it’s been an amazing time. We had the A-League grand final in Auckland, the Pro League Grand Final in Auckland, the ability to see the All Whites at the World Cup for the first time in sixteen years, through June and then in July you’ve got a big EPL club out here.

“It’s been a pretty cool time to be a football fan in Auckland at the moment.”

Like anything in football, that doesn’t guarantee future success, and Casserly said the A-League club will need to work hard to continue momentum with salary cap concessions, granted to help them launch, lapse.

“Our squad’s going to be a little bit different and we’ve already seen the departures from the end of last season.

“We’ve got some young Kiwi boys that I think people can get really excited about and I think that’s the story for the next season or two really…for the local fans. Some of the young boys coming through is the big story that they can get excited about.”

Tottenham continue their pre-season tour in Sydney with a clash against Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday night.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side kicked off the trip with a 2-0 win over Auckland FC in New Zealand on Sunday, breaking the record for the most attended football match in the nation’s history with 40,112 in attendance at Eden Park.

Spurs started with a young side, before bringing on the likes of Ben Davies, Mateus Fernandes, Richarlison, Conor Gallagher and Mathys Tel. Dane Scarlett opened the scoring in the 12th minute, before Richarlison rounded out the result in the second half.

The Sydney Super Cup brings four blockbuster fixtures to Sydney: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers (28 July), Tottenham Hotspur vs Sydney FC (29 July), and Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea (1 August) and Chelsea FC Women v A-Leagues All Stars Women (12 August)— get your tickets now at sydneysupercup.com.au

Fans in Sydney will be hoping to see more of the big names, with Sandro Tonali, James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Andy Robertson, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Lucas Bergvall and Dominic Solanke also in the squad.

Tottenham’s next test is against Sydney FC, who went down to the Black Knights in last season’s A-League Grand Final.

The Sky Blues kicked off their 2026/27 preparations with a 5-1 win over Bayswater in Perth in the Australia Cup Round of 32, headlined by a hat-trick from young gun Tiago Quintal and three assists for 17-year-old winger Akol Akon.

Overseas outfits may well have their eyes on that duo in this match, with these pre-season clashes known for giving Australian talent a chance to be scouted.

SCENE SETTER: Tottenham’s $453.4m spending spree has shades of a new ‘Magnificent 7’

FULL SQUAD: Every player Spurs have brought with them to Australia

Sydney FC boss Patrick Kisnorbo will be hoping for another positive performance from his team as they take on Premier League opposition.

Following this match, Spurs will remain in Sydney to take on local rivals Chelsea on August 1 at Accor Stadium.

The rest of their pre-season clashes will take place at home in London, with LaLiga side Getafe and Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim the opponents.

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How to watch Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC

Date: Wednesday, 29 July

Time: 7:45pm AEST

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Broadcast: Paramount+

How to buy Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC tickets

There are still tickets available to the match, which can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

Ticket prices start at $59.

For more information and tickets to other Sydney Super Cup events, visit sydneysupercup.com.au/

Tottenham vs Sydney FC team news

Tottenham squad for Australia

Damola Ajayi

Brandon Austin

Lucas Bergvall

Harry Byrne

Kevin Danso

Ben Davies

Jamie Donley

Martin Dubravka

Mateus Fernandes

Conor Gallagher

Archie Gray

Tye Hall

Tyrese Hall

Malachi Hardy

Antonin Kinsky

Rio Kyerematen

James Maddison

Mason Melia

Mikey Moore

Richarlison

Andy Robertson

Reiss Russell-Denny

Dane Scarlett

Dominic Solanke

Manor Solomon

Kota Takai

Mathys Tel

Dylan Thompson

Tyler Tingey

Sandro Tonali

Destiny Udogie

Micky van de Ven

Jan Paul van Hecke

Luca Williams-Barnett

Yang Min-Hyeok

Sydney FC squad

Sydney FC are yet to confirm their squad for the Sydney Super Cup.

Tottenham’s record in Australia

Tottenham Hotspur have a rich history in Australia dating back 50 years, with the club making six separate visits before the 2026 Sydney Super Cup.

Spurs first toured Australia in 1976, playing five matches against state representative teams and an Australia XI. They returned nine years later for the 1985 International Soccer Tournament, facing Sydney City, Marconi, South Melbourne Hellas and an Australia XI.

After a 30-year absence, Tottenham came back to Sydney in 2015, when Harry Kane scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.

The club returned again just a year later for the 2016 International Champions Cup, defeating Juventus 1-0 before losing 1-0 to Atlético Madrid in front of more than 78,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

More recently, former Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou brought Tottenham back to Australia twice during his tenure. His first match in charge came at Perth’s Optus Stadium in July 2023, where Spurs were beaten 3-2 by West Ham United, before returning in May 2024 for a post-season friendly against Newcastle United at the MCG. That match finished 1-1, with Newcastle winning 5-4 on penalties.

The 2026 Sydney Super Cup marks Tottenham’s seventh visit to Australia. Spurs will first take on Sydney FC before facing Chelsea in the first men’s match between two English clubs to be played on Australian soil.

Tottenham’s previous matches in Australia

Full list of Tottenham pre-season fixtures

When Dwight Yorke took charge of the A-League All Stars against Barcelona in 2022, he gathered them around and told them that this was a free hit to trial against the best players in the world.

Yorke knew all too well; in 1989, a 17-year-old Yorke was so good in a Tobago XI against Aston Villa in a pre-season friendly in the Caribbean that Graham Taylor snapped him up straight away and changed his life forever.

“It is a chance for some of these guys to express themselves, it is such a huge occasion,” Yorke said at the time.

He famously unleashed a then teenage Garang Kuol off the bench in that glamour friendly at Accor Stadium, won 3-2 by the LaLiga giant, a display that even prompted praise from Barcelona boss Xavi in the post match press conference.

“Dwight Yorke told me he was 16 or 17… it was a big surprise,” Xavi said. “He was very fast and we conceded two or three chances because of him.

“He’s a great player and he has a great future, he is a talent that is obvious.”

Before long, he sealed his European transfer to Newcastle United, although, sadly, his trajectory has tapered since he spectacularly burst onto the scene.

Over the next week, Western Sydney and Sydney FC players will get the same opportunity, when Chelsea take on the Wanderers at Accor Stadium on Tuesday and Tottenham face the Sky Blues at Allianz Stadium.

The Sydney Super Cup brings four blockbuster fixtures to Sydney: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers (28 July), Tottenham Hotspur vs Sydney FC (29 July), and Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea (1 August) and Chelsea FC Women v A-Leagues All Stars Women (12 August)— get your tickets now at sydneysupercup.com.au

Pre-season friendlies have a mixed reputation, particularly as the Premier League juggernaut rolls into town showing the amount of fandom there is for the sport here that the A-League clubs covet. But, if there are any thoughts of this being a holiday, just look at both London clubs’ to do lists. Both of those clubs have huge rebuilds ahead of them, with Roberto de Zerbi and Xabi Alonso in their first pre-seasons in charge.

SPURS ANALYSIS: Tottenham’s $453.4m spending spree has shades of a new magnificent 7

CHELSEA ANALYSIS: The Xabi Alonso era begins in Sydney on Tuesday: there’s one thing 350 million Chelsea fans want to know

They’ll be preoccupied by their own problems to solve, but the prospect of finding a diamond in the rough is real.

While Alex Gersbach and Bernie Ibini didn’t secure Premier League moves following Sydney FC’s last riendly with Tottenham in 2015 in Sydney, their performances turned enough heads to seal their European passage to Norwegian club Rosenborg BK and Belgian outfit Club Brugges respectively.

“Bernie Ibini for us back in the day, he had a great performance and then within a couple of weeks he’d obviously got a move overseas,” Sydney FC captain Rhyan Grant recalled, talking to football360.com.au.

“So I think it’s definitely a chance for those players to show what they’ve got.

“It’s the old funny saying, you never know who’s watching.

“And as much as that could sound made up or a bit cliche, I think it definitely rings true when you look at the players that have have done well in in these games, whether they’re exhibitions or whatnot, there’s definitely someone watching and if you can prove you can do it against a great opposition, there’s no reason why some wouldn’t take a punt on you.

“So for … the young players within our group, yeah, I think if they really give it a red hot crack and show what they’ve got, you never know what might happen.”

When it comes to approaching this match, Grant reflected: “When I was a bit younger I would have been a little bit nervous.

“But I think the group we have at the moment, they’re frothing at the mouth to get out there and show what they’ve got.

“They’re a confident bunch. Not cocky but confident in their own ability and I’m sure that they’ll want to put their best foot forward and show what they can do against a great opposition. I don’t think any of them will shy away from it. They’ll all be up for it and yeah, all I would say is yeah, just to back that up and have fun with it. There’s not always the opportunity to play against a big club and in front of a massive crowd. Make the most of it.”

Grant has been able to test himself against Tottenham, Barcelona, Celtic, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool over the years, marking the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and facing his childhood hero Steven Gerrard in these games.

“For Aussie based players that never really get the chance to play at those heights get to test ourselves against some of the best clubs in the world, so (it will be) no different come Wednesday when we get to come up against Tottenham,” he said.

He added: “There’s some world class players in that Tottenham team, so for our young boys to get a chance to play against them and see where they’re at in terms of talent and what it takes to get there, I think it’s a great opportunity.”

There are a number of examples over the years, with Stan Lazaridis spotted by West Ham boss Harry Redknapp back in a 1995 pre-season tour. When Liverpool toured Melbourne in 2013, their chief scout Barry Hunter spotted a 15-year-old Jake Brimmer while he was playing for a Victorian National Training Centre side and after a trial signed a three-year deal. Sebastian Pasquali caught the eyes of Ajax scouts after a 25-minute substitute appearance for Melbourne Victory against Italian powerhouse Juventus in a July 2016

West Ham’s recent tour to Perth was highly productive for Australian talent. Daniel Bennie impressed watching onlookers and after a season in the A-League moved to Queens Park Rangers, while a baby-faced James Overy turned plenty of heads when he was unleashed in that game.

At 14, Overy made his debut in Western Australia’s NPL. By 15, he was called up by the first team for that glamour friendly. Despite buzzing at the prospect of being on the same pitch as players like Emerson and Jarrod Bowen, he didn’t think he would see the field.

But Kenny Lowe showed him all the faith in the world – and that one match was all it took to spark significant interest from the UK.

A chat with head coach David Moyes – who asked how old Overy was and cracked a joke about his mullet – after the match led to a trial at West Ham, while there was also interest from Everton, Leicester City and Middlesbrough.

He expected to be joining the Hammers – that is, until Manchester United, the club he grew up supporting, came in with the offer of a week-long trial.

After just two days, the Premier League giants told Overy’s dad they wanted to sign him and he has been there since, although recent reports suggest he could go out on loan this season.

It isn’t just scouts watching. There will be plenty of ‘Premier League fans’ or ‘big event goers’ who take in the games this week. For the local club, it’s great for the coffers but Grant hopes each occasion is a chance to showcase the A-Leagues’ bona fides and serve a reminder it is sitting here week in, week out.

“Getting fans to the ground is awesome. I know we always say that A-League is a great product and we want everyone to come out and watch, but these games get a little bit more bums on seats,” Grant added.

“And if that can create more fans, then that’s what we’re after. So I know there’s probably a lot of Tottenham fans in Australia or in Sydney that want to come out and watch and then hopefully we can nab a few of those to come and continue to watch us A-League boys.”

Tottenham have announced their 35-man travelling party for next week’s Sydney Super Cup, which is headlined by star European summer signing Sandro Tonali and former Liverpool fullback Andy Robertson.

While World Cup stars Pedro Porro, Marcos Senesi, Cristian Romero, and Djed Spence headline a cohort of players who only just finished their international commitments and will not travel, it is a contingent full of Spurs’ big names, with a number of them favourites of Ange Postecoglou during his tenure at the club.

The Sydney Super Cup brings four blockbuster fixtures to Sydney: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers (28 July), Tottenham Hotspur vs Sydney FC (29 July), and Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea (1 August) and Chelsea FC Women v A-Leagues All Stars Women (12 August)— get your tickets now at sydneysupercup.com.au

Dutch centre back Micky van de Ven, Brazilian striker Richarlison, and English duo Dominic Solanke and James Maddison will all be part of the group that are in Roberto de Zerbi’s first pre-season in charge at the north London club.

Mohamed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski, Vicario and Wilson Odobert are other stars not yet fit enough to travel, rehabbing at Hotspur Way, as well as Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr who have been given extended leave following the World Cup.

Spurs forked out around $192million AUD to prise star midfielder Tonali from Newcastle ahead of the 2026-27 season, after luring Mateus Fernandes from relegated West Ham for an estimated $163m AUD, after Spurs narrowly avoided relegation from England’s top flight last season.

They begin their trip Down Under with a clash with A-League Champions Auckland on Sunday (1pm AEST) before heading to Australia for clashes with Sydney FC on Wednesday at Allianz Stadium and London rivals Chelsea on Saturday at Accor Stadium.

It begins a serious rebuild for the club after their difficult last Premier League campaign, where de Zerbi came in and helped ensure their top flight survival.

Spurs have been on a spending spree totalling $453.4million AUD and counting; Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke are the headline arrivals, along with Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka and Cole Ramsey – who have all moved to London on free transfers.

Fernandes got off to a flying start in their first friendly overnight, with a stunning goal in a 1-0 win over MK Dons, during which Dubravka was made to work for his clean sheet.

Tottenham at the Sydney Super Cup

Damola Ajayi

Brandon Austin

Lucas Bergvall

Harry Byrne

Kevin Danso

Ben Davies

Jamie Donley

Martin Dubravka

Mateus Fernandes

Conor Gallagher

Archie Gray

Tye Hall

Tyrese Hall

Malachi Hardy

Antonin Kinsky

Rio Kyerematen

James Maddison

Mason Melia

Mikey Moore

Richarlison

Andy Robertson

Reiss Russell-Denny

Dane Scarlett

Dominic Solanke

Manor Solomon

Kota Takai

Mathys Tel

Dylan Thompson

Tyler Tingey

Sandro Tonali

Destiny Udogie

Micky van de Ven

Jan Paul van Hecke

Luca Williams-Barnett

Yang Min-Hyeok

There is an iconic photo associated with Tottenham. It dates back to 2013 when Spurs had just sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a then world-record £85 million ($162.6 million AUD).

Seven new signings were on display 13 years ago as Tottenham went on a spending spree to attempt to fill the Bale void; Spurs burnt through £105 million ($200 million AUD) in just 55 days following the arrivals of Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli, Vlad Chiriches, Christian Eriksen, Paulinho, Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela.

Fast forward to now, with the 2026-27 Premier League season in full view and the Sydney Super Cup looming, Tottenham have their new ‘Magnificent 7’, having narrowly avoided relegation under Roberto De Zerbi.

Spurs have been on a spending spree totalling $453.4million AUD and counting; Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke are the headline arrivals, along with Liverpool great Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka and Cole Ramsey – who have all moved to London on free transfers.

The Sydney Super Cup brings four blockbuster fixtures to Sydney: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers (28 July), Tottenham Hotspur vs Sydney FC (29 July), and Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea (1 August) and Chelsea FC Women v A-Leagues All Stars Women (12 August)— get your tickets now at sydneysupercup.com.au

TOTTENHAM SQUAD: 35-man travelling squad to head Down Under announced

Tottenham shattered their transfer record to prise Italy international Tonali from Newcastle United – forking out around $192million AUD. Spurs are not known for their spending habits – preferring to stick to a budget and wage structure, something Ange Postecoglou found out all too well and discussed at depth on a recent appearance on Sky’s The Overlap, despite ending the club’s 17-year title drought via the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League.

De Zerbi has completely overhauled Tottenham’s midfield with Tonali and Fernandes, both who were also linked with Manchester United. With a new tactical blueprint, it allows Spurs to transition away from a flat midfield to a more fluid approach.

That is before you even get to Conor Gallagher, who is already on the books following a disappointing first season at Tottenham while fellow Englishman James Maddison is reportedly set to be named captain.

But they are not done yet in the transfer market as they prepare to grace Australian shores for Sydney Super Cup fixtures against Sydney FC (July 29) and London rivals Chelsea (August 1).

“I think we are building a very good team, with some very important new players, and we are starting the project in another part of the history of the club,” De Zerbi said.

“I spent a lot of time [understanding the club] before joining in April and I knew very well the ideas of the owner of the club and the plan was clear before the Everton game.

“Now we are inside [the project], we are excited about the idea of building a very strong team.

“Now we have to finish, as it’s not finished yet, our transfer market, in and out, but at the moment I’m very happy, very proud and very positive.”

Tottenham have ripped up the script as they look to banish the demons of 2025-26, which saw Spurs appoint Thomas Frank as Postecoglou’s replacement only to sack the Dane eight months later.

Igor Tudor was then named as interim head coach, but he only lasted 44 days and seven matches in charge. Desperate to preserve their top-flight status, they turned to De Zerbi, who helped claw Tottenham two points clear of the drop zone.

De Zerbi is no stranger to the Premier League. The Italian made waves at Brighton and Hove Albion before leaving for French giants Marseille in 2024. He is known for his entertaining and high-pressing style of football, and has previously given a nod to Australian pioneer Postecoglou.

“I want to see again the Tottenham I watched with Postecoglou,” De Zerbi told reporters previously.

Tottenham will kick off their Premier League campaign at Brentford on August 23 (AEST) but fans will have a glimpse of De Zerbi’s new-look Spurs Down Under.

“To build a soul, to build a new team with the qualities for sure but with soul, with passion, with all the values we have. Football now is not just on the pitch, it’s not just with the ball, it’s before in the private life, it’s how many hours during the day you think you’re doing your job and they have to be happy and proud to stay in Tottenham,” De Zerbi said.

He added: “Last season, I think we reached the target showing character, showing the right spirit,” he explained. “Now we have to push in the style of play, the quality of the play and the organisation.

“It was totally different because the seven games at the end of the season you have no time. It’s not the right way to push too much the principles of play.

“Now we have time, we have everything in the right way, right place and the right position to work and to become better and better and better in the quality of play.

“I think Tottenham deserve to compete for the top of the Premier League. I know very well the Premier League is very tough but if you have a good motivation inside of the players, a good organisation on the pitch and outside of the pitch, I think you work well and at the end you reach your target.

“I feel a big responsibility because they (the fans) loved me at the beginning in my time at Tottenham and it is a pleasure to be Tottenham coach. At the same time, I feel responsibility to give results, to give pride when they are in the stands and when we are on the pitch and to build a great Tottenham.”

Ange Postecoglou and Son Heung-min won a drought-ending title together at Tottenham, creating a bond that will last until death, according to the South Korean icon.

Postecoglou and club legend Son teamed up to help Tottenham win the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League – snapping Spurs’ 17-year wait for silverware.

It was Tottenham’s first European success in 41 years as Son wore the captain’s armband during the club’s historic season under the guidance of trailblazer Postecoglou, who was sensationally sacked afterwards.

Twelve months on from that magical night in Bilbao, Postecoglou and Son remain connected through their history-making feat with the Premier League side.

“We won the trophy together as captain and coach,” Son – now playing for MLS club Los Angeles FC – told the Daily Telegraph as he prepares for the FIFA World Cup with South Korea. “This is special. This relationship is going to be with me until we die.

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“Every coach is good at helping players on the pitch, but Ange was very helpful off the pitch as well. He taught me a lot about being a leader.

“He was really helpful and I just miss him.”

Speaking in partnership with McDonalds, South Korea’s all-time leading goalscorer and appearance maker joked: “First of all, I didn’t know you call in Australia you call it Maccas … maybe when I’m next with Ange, I will ask him, “Should we go to Maccas?”

Son’s powerful words about Postecoglou are nothing new.

After Postecoglou was sacked at the end of 2024-25 before going on to lead Nottingham Forest in a brief spell, Son wrote via Instagram: “You’ve [Postecoglou] changed the trajectory of this club.

“You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did.

“You knew what we were capable of all along. You did it your way. And your way brought this club the best night it’s had in decades. We will have those memories for life.

“You trusted me with the captaincy. One of the highest honours of my career. It’s been an incredible privilege to learn from your leadership up close, I am a better player and a better person because of you.

“Ange Postecoglou, you are a Tottenham Hotspur legend forever. Thank you, mate.”

Son is now gearing up for what is likely to be his final World Cup campaign with South Korea, and expectations are high after the Taegeuk Warriors cruised through their qualification group without losing a game, conceding just seven goals in 10 matches.

With PSG starlet Lee Kang-In supporting Son going forward, and Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-Jae marshalling the defence, the Koreans will be confident of making it out of Group A, which also includes South Africa, Czechia and co-hosts Mexico.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, has been linked to a number of coaching vacancies in Europe, the most recent of which were Besiktas in Turkiye, and recently-relegated English club Burnley.

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West Ham United have been relegated while Tottenham survived on an emotional final day of the Premier League season when Pep Guardiola and Mohamed Salah made their exits after record-breaking spells in English football.

West Ham beat Leeds 3-0 but that wasn’t enough to climb out of the relegation zone because fourth-from-bottom Tottenham also won, 1-0 at home to Everton, which meant they stayed two points clear of their London rivals.

Joao Palhinha scored Tottenham’s winner in the 43rd minute and Spurs defended stoutly to stop Everton scoring the two goals that would have kept West Ham up. A brilliant diving save in stoppage time by goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was met with huge sighs of relief around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as it basically guaranteed Spurs’ Premier League status for another year.

“After a bad season like this one, we showed up as a collective and had amazing support from the fans,” Palhinha said.

“The club will grow up with this season and we know what we have to do in the future.”

While there were huge celebrations from the Tottenham players and coaching stuff, the cold hard truth is that the club has now finished 17th for consecutive seasons, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Recently-hired manager Roberto De Zerbi suggested a mass cleanout could be on the cards, saying, “From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team. I think we have not to change too many players.

“We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. And then we have to complete the squad with first level of players.

“My target is to start the pre-season with the team I have in my dream, in my head.”

That could spell trouble for many of the players who underperformed so much this season, but Premier League legend Gary Neville preferred to put a microscope on those who run Tottenham, not mincing words as he witnessed the celebrations after full-time.

“Is it too far to say that they’ve been pathetic? That they should be ashamed of themselves? Probably not,” Neville said, per Sky Sports.

“There’s got to be a massive reset; there’s got to be an autopsy that goes really deep right the way through the club.

“When you’re owners of a football club – and I’m an owner of a football club – sometimes you have to start by looking in the mirror yourself.

“Success sometimes doesn’t come in a football club because of the decisions that you [the owner] make, because of what you do. Not because of what the fans, what the players, or what the coaches do.”

Regardless, Tottenham’s win over Everton meant West Ham’s 14-year stay in the Premier League was over and Spurs, who won three of their last five games under De Zerbi, will be in the top division for a 49th straight season.

“We shouldn’t be in the position we’re in but we’ve found ourselves in it and we’ve not done enough to stay up,” West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen admitted.

“Hurt is the only thing.”

“This club deserves to be in the Premier League. Our aim now is to get this club back into the Premier League.”

Meanwhile, Guardiola’s decade-long tenure at Manchester City – which has included six Premier League titles among 17 major trophies – ended with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa which featured a mid-match guard of honour for first Bernardo Silva and then John Stones, two of Guardiola’s stalwarts.

And Salah was given a standing ovation – before he kissed the Anfield turf – during his second-half substitution in his 442nd and last game for Liverpool, in which he grabbed an assist in a 1-1 draw with Brentford. The Egypt winger finished his nine years with the Reds with 257 goals.

Arsenal had already clinched the title and closed their first championship-winning campaign since 2004 with a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

In the final shake-up for European qualification, Bournemouth and Sunderland finished sixth and seventh, respectively, to get into the Europa League while Brighton ended eighth to reach the Conference League.

Brighton lost 3-0 at home to Manchester United, for whom Bruno Fernandes scored and bagged a record-setting 21st assist of the season.

Sunderland, who beat Chelsea 2-1, will be in Europe for the first time in 53 years — a remarkable achievement for a team in their first season back in the top division and which were in the third tier as recently as 2022.

Chelsea, on the contrary, missed out on European competition entirely after finishing in 10th place — 10 months after winning the Club World Cup.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland won the Golden Boot as top scorer in the Premier League on Sunday for the third time in his four seasons in English soccer.

The Norway international didn’t feature at all in City’s final game of the campaign againsat Villa and finished on 27 goals, five more than Brentford striker Igor Thiago in the list of top scorers.

No other player in the league reached 20 goals.