SWINDON Town midfielder Massimo Luongo is edging closer to fulfilling his dream of playing at the World Cup as he prepares to travel to Brazil as part of Australia's 27-man preliminary squad.

The former Tottenham man was part of the Socceroos' original squad of 30 players but didn't see any game time during his country's clash with South Africa earlier this week.

Australia boss Ange Postecoglou has now cut three players from that squad as the team prepare to travel to Brazil, with Luongo maintaining his place.

Four more players will be cut from the squad when Postecoglou names his final party for the tournament on June 2.

Asked if he had a final squad in mind, Postecoglou said: “It's nice to work in definitive measures but the reality of football is that every day things change.

“We had a starting line up in our head all week but had to change it four or five times...that's still going to be the case right up until we play Croatia.

“You just don't know how the players are going to cope with all that. To say I have 23 in my mind I don't.

“It's up to the remaining 27 players to realise how quickly the opportunity they now have in front of them can evaporate.”