SYDNEY, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Graham Arnold has resigned as head coach of Australia's national men's football team, the Socceroos.

Football Australia (FA) on Friday announced that Arnold, the longest-serving head coach in Socceroos history, has stepped down from the role effective immediately.

Following a tough start to the third round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Socceroos suffered a home defeat to Bahrain and drew with Indonesia away, head coach Graham Arnold announced his resignation.

Arnold, who has been at the helm since August 2018, having previously served as interim coach in 2006-07, stated in a press release that it was time for new leadership.

"I'm incredibly proud of our achievements - from breaking records to nurturing new talent and making history on the global stage," Arnold said. "After careful consideration, I believe it's time for fresh leadership to guide the team forward. My decision to resign is based on what's best for the nation, the players, and Football Australia."

The Socceroos currently sit fifth in Group C of AFC qualifying and are set to face China in Adelaide on October 10, followed by group leaders Japan in Saitama on October 15. The top two teams in the group will directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will progress to the fourth round of qualifying. The Socceroos have qualified for five consecutive World Cups.

Arnold led the Socceroos to their most successful World Cup campaign in Qatar in 2022, where they beat Tunisia and Denmark in the group stage before falling to eventual champions Argentina in the round of 16. His contract was renewed for four years following the tournament.

Football Australia (FA) chief executive James Johnson thanked Arnold for his contributions to Australian football and confirmed that the search for his replacement would begin immediately. The FA is now looking to fill the head coaching positions for both the men's and women's national teams, after appointing veteran coach Tom Sermanni as interim head coach for the women's team earlier this week. Enditem

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