BANGKOK -- At the age of just 22, former Liverpool defender Brad Smith has quickly become one of Australia's key men on the road to Russia 2018.
The speedy left-back, who moved from Anfield to Bournemouth in the close season, will make his seventh consecutive start in Australia's AFC World Cup qualifying campaign when the Socceroos face Thailand in Group B on Tuesday night.
Despite missing Australia's triumphant 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign, Penrith-born Smith has embraced the winning culture under Ange Postecoglou since making his debut in a friendly against Belgium two years ago.
"Obviously, I debuted at left wing [against Belgium], and the squad has changed massively since then," Smith told Football Federation Australia.