Australia men's national soccer team explained

Australia
Badge:Australia national football team badge.svg
Badge Size:180px
Nickname:Socceroos
Association:Football Australia
Sub-Confederation:AFF (Southeast Asia)
Confederation:AFC (Asia; 2006–present)
OFC (Oceania; 1966–1972, 1978–2006)[1]
Coach:Graham Arnold
Captain:Mathew Ryan
Most Caps:Mark Schwarzer (109)
Top Scorer:Tim Cahill (50)
Home Stadium:Various
Fifa Trigramme:AUS
Fifa Max:14
Fifa Max Date:September 2009
Fifa Min:102
Fifa Min Date:November 2014
Elo Max:9
Elo Max Date:14 August 2001[2]
Elo Min:75
Elo Min Date:November 1965
Pattern La1:_aus_2223h
Pattern B1:_aus_2223h
Pattern Ra1:_aus_2223h
Pattern Sh1:_aus_2223h
Leftarm1:008458
Body1:008458
Rightarm1:008458
Shorts1:008458
Socks1:FFFFFF
Pattern La2:_aus22a
Pattern B2:_aus22a
Pattern Ra2:_aus22a
Pattern Sh2:_aus22a
Pattern So2:_aus22a
Leftarm2:222B59
Body2:222B59
Rightarm2:222B59
Shorts2:222B59
Socks2:222B59
First Game: 3–1
(Dunedin, New Zealand; 17 June 1922)
Largest Win: 31–0
(Coffs Harbour, Australia; 11 April 2001)
(World record for senior international matches)[3]
Largest Loss: 0–8
(Adelaide, Australia; 17 September 1955)
World Cup Apps:6
World Cup First:1974
World Cup Best:Round of 16 (2006, 2022)
Regional Name:Asian Cup
Regional Cup Apps:5
Regional Cup First:2007
Regional Cup Best:Champions (2015)
2Ndregional Name:OFC Nations Cup
2Ndregional Cup Apps:6
2Ndregional Cup First:1980
2Ndregional Cup Best:Champions (1980,
1996, 2000, 2004)
Confederations Cup Apps:4
Confederations Cup First:1997
Confederations Cup Best:Runners-up (1997)

The Australia men's national soccer team represents Australia in international men's soccer. Officially nicknamed the Socceroos (officially the Subway Socceroos for sponsorship reasons),[4] the team is controlled by the governing body for soccer in Australia, Football Australia, which is affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).

The team played its first match in 1922 and originally participated in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). In this confederation, Australia won the OFC Nations Cup four times between 1980 and 2004, and dominated many World Cup qualification campaigns during earlier rounds. The team won 31–0 against American Samoa in World Cup qualification, achieving the world record for the largest victory in a senior international match. Despite this, the team only managed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup twice in 11 attempts while in this confederation. The team moved to the AFC in 2006, winning the AFC Asian Cup once in 2015 and finishing runners-up in 2011. By winning this competition, Australia became the only team in the world to have won two different confederation cups.[5] Since moving confederations, the team has also qualified for the World Cup in every attempt, qualifying an additional four times for an overall six qualifications. Australia has made appearances in the World Cup knockout stages twice, having progressed to this stage in 2006 and 2022.

The team additionally represented Australia at the now-defunct FIFA Confederations Cup four times, winning a silver and bronze medal in 1997 and 2001 respectively. Mark Schwarzer has the most caps for Australia, with 109 to his name, while Tim Cahill has the most goals scored, with 50. Australia initially developed a rivalry with New Zealand and a rivalry with Uruguay, and, after joining the AFC, has developed a fierce rivalry with Japan.

History

See main article: History of the Australia national soccer team.

Early years

The first Australia national team was constituted in 1922 for a tour of New Zealand,[6] which included two defeats and a draw. For the next 36 years, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa became regular opponents in tour (exhibition) matches.[7] During that period, Australia also competed against Canada and India during their tours of Australia in 1924 and 1938 respectively.[8] [9] Australia recorded their worst ever defeat on 30 June 1951 as they lost 17–0 in a match to a touring England side.[10] Australia had a rare opportunity to compete on the world's stage during the team's first major international tournament as hosts of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. However, an inexperienced squad proved to be reason for the team's disappointing performance.[11] With the advent of cheap air travel, Australia began to diversify its range of opponents. However, its geographical isolation continued to play a role in its destiny for the next 30 years. Australia won the 1967 South Vietnam Independence Cup against seven other nations, but this gained little recognition domestically.[12]

After failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 1966 and 1970, losing in play-offs to North Korea and Israel respectively, Australia finally appeared at their first World Cup in West Germany, 1974.[13] After managing only a draw from Chile and losses from East Germany and West Germany, the team which was made up of mostly amateur players was eliminated at the end of the first round, finishing last in their group without scoring a goal. It would prove to be the only appearance for the Australian team until the World Cup tournament returned to Germany more than three decades later in 2006. Over a 40-year period, the Australian team was known for its near misses in its attempts to qualify for the World Cup; they lost play-offs in 1966 to North Korea, 1970 to Israel, 1986 to Scotland, 1994 to Argentina, 1998 to Iran and 2002 to Uruguay.

First successes and "golden generation"

The team's previously poor record in World Cup competition was not reflected in their reasonable performances against strong European and South American sides. In 1988, Australia defeated reigning world champions Argentina 4–1 in the Australian Bicentennial Gold Cup.[14] [15] In 1997, Australia drew with reigning world champions Brazil 0–0 in the group stage and then defeated Uruguay 1–0 in the semi-finals to reach the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup Final.[16] In 2001, after a victory against reigning world champions France in the group stage, Australia finished the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup in third place after defeating Brazil 1–0 in the third-place decider.[17] Australia defeated England 3–1 at West Ham United's Boleyn Ground in 2003 as Wayne Rooney made his international debut.[18]

In early 2005, it was reported that Football Australia had entered into discussions to join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and end an almost 40-year association with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).[19] Many commentators and fans, most notably soccer broadcaster and former Australian captain Johnny Warren, felt that the only way for Australia to progress was to abandon Oceania.[20] On 13 March, the AFC executive committee made a unanimous decision to invite Australia to join the AFC.[21] After the OFC executive committee unanimously endorsed Australia's proposed move, FIFA approved the move on 30 June 2005. Australia joined Asia, with the move taking effect on 1 January 2006, though until then, Australia had to compete for a 2006 World Cup position as an OFC member country.[21]

After a successful campaign, the team took the first steps towards qualification for the 2006 World Cup.[22] After coach Frank Farina stood down from the position after Australia's dismal performance at the 2005 Confederations Cup, Guus Hiddink was announced as the new national coach. Australia, ranked 49th, would then have to play the 18th ranked Uruguay in a rematch of the 2001 qualification play-off for a spot in the 2006 World Cup. After a 5–0 friendly win against Jamaica,[23] the first leg of the play-off tournament was lost (1–0), with the return leg still to be played in Australia four days later in Sydney on 16 November 2005.[24]

The second leg of the qualifying play-off was played in front of a crowd of 82,698 at Stadium Australia.[25] Australia led Uruguay 1–0 after 90 minutes following a goal by Mark Bresciano in the first half. The aggregate was tied, and extra time was played. Neither team scored after two periods of extra time, bringing the game to a penalty shootout. Australia won the penalty shootout (4–2), making Australia the first ever team to qualify for a World Cup via a penalty shootout.[26] Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer made two saves, with John Aloisi scoring the winning penalty for a place in the World Cup, Australia's first qualification in 32 years.

Australia went into the 2006 World Cup as the second lowest-ranked side. Although their ranking vastly improved in subsequent months after a series of exhibition matches against high-profile teams, including a 1–1 draw against the Netherlands, and a 1–0 win at the sold-out 100,000 capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground against the then European champions Greece[27] for the 2006 World Cup, Australia was placed into Group F, along with Japan, Croatia and defending champions Brazil. In their opening group game, Australia defeated Japan 3–1, with Tim Cahill scoring two goals (84', 89') and John Aloisi scoring one (90+2') in the last eight minutes. Their goals made history, being the first ever scored by Australia's men's soccer team in a World Cup and it was also the first victory of an Oceania team in World Cups, as well as all three goals being scored in the last seven minutes of the game, which was never before done in a World Cup match.[28] Australia met Brazil in their second group game, which Australia lost to Brazil 2–0. Australia faced Croatia in their third match. The final score (2–2) was enough to see Australia proceed to the round of 16, where they were eliminated from the competition after a 1–0 defeat by the eventual champions Italy after conceding a controversial penalty in the 93rd minute.[29] [30] The loss marked the official end of Hiddink's tenure as Australia's national coach.[31] The success achieved at the 2006 World Cup later saw the team named AFC National Team of the Year,[32] as well as being dubbed the "golden generation" in the history of the Socceroos.[33]

Later success

Led by coach Graham Arnold, Australia went to their first Asian Cup in 2007, sending a strong squad which included 15 players from the previous year's World Cup team. In Group A they played against Oman (1–1 draw), Thailand (4–0 win) and eventual champions Iraq (3–1 loss), assuring Australia's progression to the quarter-final stage of the tournament. Though after drawing 1–1 with Japan after extra time, Australia exited the tournament on penalties at the quarter-final stage. An international friendly on 11 September 2007 against Argentina (1–0 loss) was Graham Arnold's last game as head coach, with the position eventually being filled by Pim Verbeek on 6 December 2007.[34]

Australia began their 2010 World Cup campaign in the third round of qualification, drawn into a group, composed of Qatar, Iraq and China PR, in which Australia finished first. Australia eventually saw progression through to the 2010 World Cup after comfortably winning the fourth round of qualification in a group consisting of Japan, Bahrain, Qatar and Uzbekistan.[35] Australia's qualification was already assured before the final two games, finally topping its group ahead of Japan by five points.

Australia was drawn into Group D in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which featured three-time world champion Germany, Ghana and Serbia. On 14 June 2010, Australia faced Germany. Pim Verbeek's surprising decision to play without a recognised striker saw Australia comprehensively defeated 4–0. Verbeek received heavy criticism for his tactics,[36] with SBS (Australia's World Cup broadcaster) chief soccer analyst Craig Foster calling for his immediate sacking.[37] Australia's second group match against Ghana resulted in a draw of 1–1, and their third and final group match against Serbia resulted in a 2–1 win. Ultimately Australia's heavy loss to Germany saw them eliminated in the group stage. Pim Verbeek completed his term as Australian coach at the end of the 2010 World Cup and was soon replaced by Holger Osieck.[38]

In 2010, Australia qualified for their second AFC Asian Cup, topping their qualification group. A successful campaign at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup saw Australia become runners-up to Japan, after losing in the Final 1–0 in extra time.[39]

In 2012, Australia agreed to compete in the East Asian Cup.[40] Australia travelled to Hong Kong to compete in a series of qualification matches with the hopes of qualifying for the 2013 East Asian Cup. Despite handing several debuts and fielding an in-experienced squad, Australia was successful, finishing ahead of Hong Kong, North Korea, Guam and Chinese Taipei to progress to the 2013 East Asian Cup, where Australia eventually finished last behind Japan, South Korea and China PR.[41] [42] On 26 August 2013, Australia became full members of the ASEAN Football Federation[43] but as part of their entrance agreement with the sub-confederation, their national team is barred from participating in the AFF Championship due to their perceived wide gap in playing standards between Australia and the rest of the region.[44]

Australia's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification began with a series of friendlies against the United Arab Emirates (0–0), Germany (1–2 win), New Zealand (3–0 win), Serbia (0–0) and Wales (1–2 win).[45] Australia's World Cup campaign started in the third round of qualification, with Australia topping their group to progress to the fourth round. After winning their last fourth round-game, Australia finished as runners-up in their group, qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on 18 June 2013.[46]

Shortly after achieving qualification to the World Cup, Australia played a series of friendly matches against Brazil and France, suffering consecutive 6–0 defeats. This along with previous poor performances during the 2014 World Cup qualification campaign resulted in manager Holger Osieck's sacking, bringing his four-year tenure as Australia's manager to an end.[47]

New generation: the 2015 Asian Cup triumph

After a two-week search for a new manager, Ange Postecoglou was eventually appointed in the position.[48] Postecoglou was tasked with regenerating the Australian national team, which was deemed to have been too reliant on members of their Golden Generation of 2006, subsequently leading to a stagnation of results, culminating in successive 6–0 defeats to Brazil and France.[49] In his first game as Australia's manager, a home friendly match against Costa Rica, Australia won 1–0 courtesy of a goal from Tim Cahill.[50]

For the 2014 World Cup, Australia were drawn in Group B alongside reigning Cup holders Spain, 2010 runners-up Netherlands and Chile.[51] Their first match was off to a lacklustre start, having conceded two goals in the opening 15 minutes from Alexis Sánchez and Jorge Valdivia. Despite a goal from Tim Cahill that inspired a late resurgence from Postecoglou's team, they ultimately lost to Chile 3–1. Their second match against the Netherlands was a close one, but their efforts ended in a 3–2 loss, thus earning their early exit along with the Spanish team. In the end, Australia finished Group B with a third, consecutive defeat to world champions Spain, 3–0. Australia's competitive World Cup performances in a difficult group lead to believe that a new Golden Generation was about to begin.[52] [53]

In their first international match proceeding the World Cup, Australia played World Cup quarter-finalists Belgium in Liège, with Australia going down 2–0. Four days later, Australia achieved their first international win in ten months, and just their second win under Ange Postecoglou, with a 3–2 victory over Saudi Arabia in London. After drawing against the United Arab Emirates, and suffering successive losses against Qatar and Japan, combined with previous poor results earlier in the year, Australia slipped to 94 and 102 in the FIFA World Rankings, their lowest ever ranking.[54]

The new year saw Australia host the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, with the team making their third consecutive appearance in the tournament. Australia won their first two group matches against Kuwait and Oman comfortably, with scorelines of 4–1 and 4–0 respectively. This guaranteed their qualification for the knockout stage, despite losing their final group match against South Korea in Brisbane 1–0.[55] They faced China PR in the quarter-finals and won 2–0, courtesy of a second-half brace from Tim Cahill. In the semi-finals, Australia won 2–0 over the United Arab Emirates and advanced to the final for the second time in a row. They faced South Korea in the final on 31 January at Stadium Australia, winning 2–1 after extra time to claim their first Asian title and qualify for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.[56] [57]

After Australia qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Ange Postecoglou resigned from his position as coach;[58] and former manager of the Netherlands national team, Bert van Marwijk, was subsequently appointed as his replacement.[59] [60] [61] On 8 March 2018, after van Marwijk's first squad announcement, the FFA announced that Graham Arnold will take the coaching role from after the 2018 FIFA World Cup until the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[62]

With van Marwijk, Australia was grouped with Denmark, France and Peru. The first match of Australia against eventual world champions France was praised by a valiant effort, in which Australia only lost 1–2 by a virtual own goal from Aziz Behich.[63] After the defeat to France, Australia produced another outstanding performance, drawing Denmark 1–1.[64] However, in the crucial match against already eliminated Peru, Australia lost 0–2 and crashed out from the World Cup with only a point, became the only team from the AFC to be winless in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[65] Subsequently, van Marwijk left his post and Arnold came to replace him as the new coach of the Socceroos.

Under Graham Arnold, Australia started their 2019 AFC Asian Cup in hope of defending the title, being grouped with Jordan, Syria and Palestine, but their hope was shattered by a shocking 0–1 defeat to Jordan.[66] Australia soon returned to the race by beating Palestine 3–0[67] before winning an important encounter with a hard-fought 3–2 win over Syria,[68] eliminating both Palestine and Syria in the process. The win gave Australia to qualify for the round of sixteen, where they overcame Uzbekistan after winning on penalties 4–2, having drawn 0–0 for 120 minutes.[69] In the quarter-finals, however, in the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, the place where Australia had lost their opening match against Jordan, Australia once again failed to register any win in the same ground, losing to the host United Arab Emirates 0–1 due to a mistake from Miloš Degenek, eventually failing to defend the title.[70]

2022 World Cup resurgence

Australia took part in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, which they entered in the second round, in which they faced Kuwait, Jordan, Nepal and Chinese Taipei.[71] Australia dominated the group with eight wins out of eight to reach the third round, where it faced Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Oman and Vietnam.[72] After a good start with three straight wins over China, Vietnam and Oman, Australia then won only one game, against Vietnam, in their final seven games, being held thrice and losing thrice, finishing third in the group. It then had to rely on fourth round playoffs.[73] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of Australia's playoffs were centralised in Doha. The Socceroos began their quest with a 2–1 win over the United Arab Emirates, to face fifth place CONMEBOL qualification finisher Peru, a rematch of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[74] This time around, Australia held Peru goalless, before winning on penalties to make it to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Australia was drawn in group D along with world champions France, Denmark and Tunisia.[75] Australia's qualification also meant that the Asian confederation had the largest number of teams in their World Cup history, with six countries qualifying.[76]

As preparation for the World Cup, Australia played two friendlies against neighbouring New Zealand, winning both games.[77] [78] It began its World Cup quest on 23 November against world champions France, losing 4–1 despite initially taking the lead with goal from Craig Goodwin.[79] Three days later Australia registered its first World Cup win since 2010, overcoming Tunisia with a header from Mitchell Duke to seal a 1–0 win, sending Australia from bottom to second place.[80] Four days later, against UEFA Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark, Australia won 1–0, thanks to a Mathew Leckie goal. Australia finished the group stage in second place behind France on goal difference, making Australia the first Asian representative to reach the knockout stage in Qatar 2022.[81] Australia's resurgence in the group stage was widely watched and followed by Australian supporters. Mass celebrations occurred after the upsets over Tunisia and Denmark, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "magnificent".[82] [83] [84] In the round of 16, Australia lost 2–1 to Argentina, with Lionel Messi opening the scoring and Julián Álvarez getting the second after dispossessing Mathew Ryan. Australia pulled one back when Goodwin's shot deflected into goal off Enzo Fernández and Garang Kuol almost scored the equaliser in injury time, but his shot was smothered by Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.[85]

Team image

Media coverage

Australian matches are broadcast by Paramount+ and on free-to-air by Network 10.[86]

Previous coverage has been provided by Fox Sports (2018–2021),[87] Ten network on its 10 Bold channel, ABC,[88] SBS until 2016 and Nine on its 9Go! channel (2016–2017).

The national team has set multiple ratings records for both subscription and free-to-air television. Australia's final 2006 World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay was the highest rating program in SBS history with an audience of 3.4 million viewers,[89] while a 2010 World Cup qualifying match against Uzbekistan set a record for the highest subscription television audience, with an average of 431,000 viewers.[90] The 2015 Asian Cup Final against South Korea had a total reach of 5.3 million Australians overall.[91]

Kit

Australia's first kit was sky blue with a maroon hoop on the socks, the colours representing the states of New South Wales and Queensland, a look that was reminiscent of the Australian national rugby league team's strips of the period.[92] They wore the predominantly light blue kit until 1924 when they changed to green and gold.[93]

Australia has worn a yellow jersey, usually accompanied by green shorts, and yellow socks since the 1960s. The colour of the socks altered throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s from white to the same green as the shorts to the same yellow colour as the jersey. This peculiarity of the uniform refers to exactly the combination of colours used in it: although the country's flag has the colours blue, red and white, the selection uses shades of green and yellow. That's because, unlike many national teams, who base their colours on the flag, the Australian team uses as a base the colours of a typical plant in the country, the acacia, which has green leaves and yellow flowers.

Their current away kit is a turquoise shirt with a gold stripe on either side of the shirt, the coat of arms being on top of a navy background. It is accompanied by navy shorts (also containing the gold stripes) and turquoise socks. Australia's kits have been produced by manufacturers including Umbro, Adidas, KingRoo, and since 2004 by Nike.[94]

Rather than displaying the logo of Football Australia, Australia's jersey traditionally features the coat of arms of Australia over the left breast. The team first wore the traditional green and yellow colours in 1924.[95] Australia's 1974 World Cup kits were produced by Adidas as were all other national team kits in the tournament, with Adidas sponsoring the event. The kits, however, contained Umbro branding, due to the manufacturer's Australian partnership at the time.[96] Nike renewed the kit manufacturer deal with FFA for another 11 years in 2012, handing them the rights to make national team kits until 2022.[97] In the lead-up to the 2014 World Cup, the new kits to be worn by the team were revealed. The design of the new kits included a plain yellow shirt with a green collar, plain dark green shorts and white socks, a tribute to the 1974 Socceroos. Inside the back of the neck also had woven the quote, "We Socceroos can do the impossible", from Peter Wilson, the captain of the 1974 Australian team.[98] This kit was well received.[99] In March 2016, FFA revealed the new Socceroos kit, which featured a yellow jersey, yellow shorts and green socks. This was reportedly in accordance with a FIFA directive, instructing all national teams to have matching shirts and shorts.[100] [101] This kit was met with wide public contention, primarily due to the colour change of the shorts from the traditional green to yellow.[100] [101] [102] [103] [104]

Kit suppliers

Kit supplierPeriodNotes
Umbro1974–1983 1974 FIFA World Cup jerseys were manufactured by Adidas but featured an Umbro logo.
Adidas1983–1989
Kingroo1990–1993
Patrick1993
Adidas1993–2004
Nike2004–present Current deal runs until 2033.[105]

Nickname

Australia's nickname, "Socceroos", was coined in 1967 by Sydney journalist Tony Horstead in his coverage of the team on a goodwill tour to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.[106] It is commonly used by both the Australian people and the governing body, the FFA.[107] The nickname represents a cultural propensity for the use of colloquialisms in the country. It also represents the Australian English use of the sport's name.[108] [109]

The name itself is similar to most other Australian national representative sporting team nicknames; used informally when referring to the team, in the media or in conversation. Similarly, the name is derived from a well-known symbol of Australia, in this case, the kangaroo. The words soccer and kangaroo are combined into a portmanteau word as soccer-roo; such as Olyroos for the Australia Olympic soccer team[110] or Hockeyroos for the Australian national women's hockey team.

Rivalries

New Zealand

See main article: Australia–New Zealand soccer rivalry. Australia's longtime rivals are trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand.[111] The two teams' history dates back to 1922, where they first met in both their international debuts. The rivalry between the Socceroos and the All Whites (New Zealand) is part of a wider friendly rivalry between the neighbours Australia and New Zealand, which applies not only to sport but to the culture of the two countries. The rivalry was intensified when Australia and New Zealand were both members of the OFC, regularly competing in OFC Nations Cup finals and in FIFA World Cup qualifications, where only one team from the OFC progressed to the World Cup. Since Australia left the OFC to join the AFC in 2006, competition between the two teams has been infrequent, with the occasional match still receiving much media and public attention.[112]

Japan

See main article: Australia–Japan football rivalry. After joining the AFC, Australia began to develop a fierce rivalry with fellow Asian powerhouse Japan.[113] The rivalry began at the 2006 World Cup, where the two countries were grouped together. The rivalry continued with the two countries meeting regularly in various AFC competitions, including the 2011 Asian Cup final and qualification for the 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups.[114]

South Korea

See main article: Australia–South Korea football rivalry. Another major rival within Asia is South Korea, who Australia came up against in three World Cup qualification campaigns in the 1970s and, since joining the AFC, have met regularly including the victory by Australia in the 2015 Asian Cup final.[115]

Uruguay

See main article: Australia–Uruguay football rivalry. A rivalry exists with Uruguay since their first meeting on the eve of the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Both nations have faced each other in consecutive World Cup play-offs in 2001 and 2005 with each nation winning a playoff final each to progress through to the World Cup. Australia and Uruguay also faced off in the 1997 Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia, with Australia progressing through to the final against Brazil via a golden goal winner from Harry Kewell.[116]

Supporters

The main supporter group of the Australian national team is Australian Active Support (AAS).[117] AAS, then known as Socceroos Active Support (SAS), was founded in January 2015 as an independent group,[118] who uses social media to organise and keep in touch. This replaced the former active support group Terrace Australis,[119] who were founded by Football Federation Australia and fans in 2013, during Australia's 2014 World Cup qualification campaign.[120] Its establishment came in the wake of poor off-field action and minimal community engagement.[121] Previously, the emergence of Terrace Australis saw the Green and Gold Army relinquish its role as a hub for active support, which it had claimed since its establishment in 2001.[122] [123] Since the 2015 AFC Asian Cup triumph, the supporters had encouraged people in Australia to focus more on the national team, and the nation's soccer pride.

Home stadium

Australia does not have a dedicated national stadium, instead the team plays at different venues throughout the country for exhibition or tournament purposes. In recent years, major international matches have usually been rotated around various large grounds, including Stadium Australia in Sydney, Hunter Stadium in Newcastle and Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. International matches have also been played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Melbourne and Canberra Stadium in Canberra.

Australia has played at the Gabba in Brisbane, which hosted Australia's first international match on home soil in 1923, a 2–1 win over New Zealand. It was the fourth Australian team match overall, with the first three internationals played in New Zealand.[124] Other venues which regularly hosted international home matches included Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne, the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney Showground, and Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, and Subiaco Oval in Perth.

Games in England

Since the 2003 friendly against England, the Socceroos have also played a significant number of games in England, especially London, since a high proportion of the senior team play in European leagues. This includes games at Craven Cottage in Fulham (Fulham Football Club's home ground), Loftus Road in Shepherd's Bush (Queens Park Rangers' home ground) and The Den in Bermondsey (Millwall Football Club's home ground).

Results and fixtures

See main article: Australia national soccer team results (2020–present). The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2025

Coaching staff

See also: List of Australia national soccer team managers.

[125]

PositionName
Head coach Graham Arnold
Assistant coach René Meulensteen
Assistant coach
Goalkeeper coach

Players

See also: List of Australia national soccer team captains.

Current squad

The following 25 players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Bangladesh and Palestine on 6 and 11 June 2024, respectively.[126]
Caps and goals correct as of 11 June 2024, after the match against Palestine.

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up within the last 12 months.

Records

See main article: Australia men's national soccer team records and statistics.

Australia currently hold the world record for the largest win and the most goals scored by a player in an international match.[127] Both records were achieved during the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification match against American Samoa on 11 April 2001. Australia won 31–0 with Archie Thompson scoring 13 goals and David Zdrilic scoring 8.[127] [128] Two days before the 31–0 win, Australia broke the record for largest win with a 22–0 win over Tonga.[129] With 13 and 8 goals respectively, both Thompson and Zdrilic broke the previous record jointly held by another Australian, Gary Cole, who scored seven goals against Fiji in 1981,[130] and Iranian Karim Bagheri, who also scored seven goals against Maldives in 1997.[131]

[132] [133]

Most capped players

RankNameCapsGoalsPositionCareer
1Mark Schwarzer1090GK
2Tim Cahill10850FW2004–2018
3Lucas Neill961DF1996–2013
4Brett Emerton9520MF1998–2012
5Mathew Ryan930GK2012–present
6Alex Tobin872DF1988–1998
7Mark Bresciano8413MF2001–2015
Paul Wade8410MF1986–1996
9Mark Milligan806MF2006–2019
Luke Wilkshire808DF2004–2014

Top goalscorers

RankNameGoalsCapsRatioCareer
1Tim Cahill (list)50108
2Damian Mori29451992–2002
3Archie Thompson28542001–2013
4John Aloisi27551993–2008
5John Kosmina25601977–1988
Attila Abonyi25611967–1977
7David Zdrilic20311997–2010
Mile Jedinak20792008–2018
Brett Emerton20951998–2012
10Graham Arnold19561985–1997

Most clean sheets

RankNameClean sheetsCapsRatioCareer
1Mark Schwarzer441091993–2013
2Mathew Ryan35932012–present
3Zeljko Kalac24541992–2006
4Jeff Olver13371985–1989
5Robert Zabica12271990–1994

Competitive record

Overview
Event1st place2nd place3rd place4th place
FIFA World Cup0000
FIFA Confederations Cup0110
1100
OFC Nations Cup4200
Total5410

FIFA World Cup

See main article: Australia at the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA Confederations Cup

See main article: Australia at the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Australia's FIFA Confederations Cup record
YearHostRound
1992 Saudi ArabiaNo OFC representative invited
1995 Saudi Arabia
1997 Saudi ArabiaRunners-up2nd521248
1999 MexicoDid not qualify
2001
Japan
Third place3rd530242
2003Did not qualify
2005 GermanyGroup stage 8th3003510
2009 South AfricaDid not qualify
2013 Brazil
2017Group stage6th302145
Total0 titles4/10165381725

AFC Asian Cup

See main article: Australia at the AFC Asian Cup.

Summer Olympics

See main article: Football at the Summer Olympics.

YearHostRoundPositionGPWDLGSGA
19081952Did not participate
1956align=left style="border: 3px solid red" MelbourneQuarter-finals5th210144Qualified as Host
1960 RomeWithdrewWithdrew
1964 TokyoDid not enterDid not enter
1968 Mexico City
1972 Munich
1976 Montreal
1980 Moscow
1984 Los Angeles
1988 SeoulQuarter-finals7th4202268620184
1992–presentSee Australia men's national under-23 soccer team
Total0 titles2/1763036108620184

OFC Nations Cup

See main article: Australia at the OFC Nations Cup.

Australia's record
YearResultPosition
1973Did not participate
1980Champions1st4400244
1996Champions1st4310140
1998Runners-up2nd4301233
2000Champions1st4400260
2002Runners-up2nd5401232
2004Champions1st7610324
Not OFC member
Total4 titles6/1028242214213

AFC–OFC Challenge Cup

See main article: AFC–OFC Challenge Cup.

Australia's record
YearResultPosition
2001Runners-up1/2100103
2003Did not qualify
Total0 titles1/2100103

AFF Championship

See main article: AFF Championship.

Since joining the AFF in 2013, Australia has never competed in this event.

Minor tournaments

YearPositionGPWDLGFGA
1922 Soccer Ashes2nd301237
1923 Soccer Ashes2nd310258
1933 Soccer Ashes1st3300148
1936 Soccer Ashes1st3300212
1948 Soccer Ashes1st4400170
1954 Soccer Ashes1st320194
1st 5 5 0 0 15 6
1st 4 4 0 0 14 2
2nd 2 0 0 2 1 4
1983 Merlion Cup 1st 4 3 0 1 10 5
1984 China–Australia Ampol Cup 2nd 1 0 0 1 2 3
1985 China–Australia Ampol Cup 1st 1 1 0 0 3 0
1st 2 1 1 0 3 2
1986 China–Australia Ampol Cup 1st 1 1 0 0 2 0
2nd 3 2 1 0 2 1
2nd 2 0 1 1 1 2
2nd 4 2 0 2 7 4
1st 2 2 0 0 4 1
1990 Independence Cup 1st 1 1 0 0 3 0
1st 2 2 0 0 3 1
1991 President's Cup 2nd 1 0 1 0 0 0
1992 Independence Cup 3rd 2 1 0 1 3 1
2nd 2 0 1 1 1 2
1st 2 1 1 0 3 0
1996 Simba Cup 2nd 3 2 0 1 6 2
2000 Copa Ciudad de Valparaíso 4th 3 0 2 1 2 3
2000 LG Cup (UAE) 3rd 2 1 0 1 3 4
2nd 1 0 0 1 0 3
Total14 titles694291715075

All-time record

See main article: Australia national soccer team all-time record.

FIFA Rankings

Last update was on 4 April 2024Source:[134]

Best Ranking   Worst Ranking   Best Mover   Worst Mover  

RankYearGames
Played
BestWorst
RankMoveRankMove
24 2024 23 2 24 1
25 2023 825 2 29 2
27 2022 1327 8 42 6
35 2021 1032 6 41 2
41 2020 041 1 42 1
42 2019 1041 2 46 3
41 2018 1132 4 43 7
38 2017 1338 7 55 10
47 2016 10 40 17 68 9
57 2015 1457 37 100 2
100 2014 1153 4 102 14
58 2013 1236 7 59 7
36 2012 1320 2 36 9
23 2011 1719 5 26 2
26 2010 1319 4 26 6
21 2009 1214 13 32 10
28 2008 1328 10 48 5
48 2007 1039 4 52 6
39 2006 1333 9 48 4
48 2005 1248 9 60 4
58 2004 1249 40 89 9
82 2003 345 6 82 13
50 2002 443 4 50 3
48 2001 1646 18 77 5
73 2000 1563 29 92 6
89 1999 050 89 11
39 1998 932 3 39 6
35 1997 1931 17 36 4
50 1996 1248 9 61 9
51 1995 947 11 58 8
58 1994 644 2 58 6
49 1993 1049 12 65 13

Honours

Major

Other

2006, 2015

Invitational Tournaments

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2006-03-18 . OFC History . https://web.archive.org/web/20060318111103/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/index.cgi?sID=23 . 18 March 2006 . 2024-07-02 . Oceania Football Confederation.
  2. Web site: World Football Elo Ratings. eloratings.net. 11 February 2019. 13 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190213085115/http://www.eloratings.net/Australia. live.
  3. News: Aussie footballers smash world record . 11 April 2001 . BBC Sport . 10 June 2012 .
  4. News: Fresh deal: Socceroos ink record-breaking sponsorship deal. Vince. Rugari. The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 September 2022.
  5. News: Socceroos lift Asian Cup after dramatic extra-time win over South Korea. The Guardian. 31 January 2015.
  6. Web site: Australia Vs New Zealand 1922. OzFootball. 27 April 2013. 6 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140706022112/http://www.ozfootball.net/museum/index.php/archive/129-australia-vs-new-zealand-1922. live.
  7. Web site: Australian Socceroos. australiansocceroos.com. 29 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140101230100/http://australiansocceroos.com/. 1 January 2014. dead.
  8. Web site: 1924 Matches. OzFootball. 29 September 2013. 12 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212031002/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1924A.html. live.
  9. Web site: 1938 Matches. OzFootball. 29 September 2013. 6 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180806202225/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1938A.html. live.
  10. Web site: Australia Vs England 1951. ozfootball.net. 31 March 2016. 15 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130715023707/http://www.ozfootball.net/museum/index.php/archive/99-australia-vs-england-1951. live.
  11. Web site: 1956 Olympics. OzFootball. 12 December 2013. 6 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140706024242/http://www.ozfootball.net/museum/index.php/en/archive/84-1956-olympics. live.
  12. News: As Socceroos face moment of truth, let's remember our football triumph of 1967. Roy. Hay. The Conversation. 9 November 2017. 28 September 2020. 5 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201205093926/https://theconversation.com/amp/as-socceroos-face-moment-of-truth-lets-remember-our-football-triumph-of-1967-86607. live.
  13. Web site: Timeline of Australian Football . NSW Migration Heritage Centre and Powerhouse Museum . 27 April 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141217101940/http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/worldcup/timeline.shtml . 17 December 2014 .
  14. Web site: The Forgotten Story of ... Australia's defeat to Fiji – Vince Rugari. The Guardian. 10 November 2014. 11 December 2016. 25 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150325144929/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-the-socceroos-defeat-to-fiji. live.
  15. Web site: Socceroo Internationals for 1988. OzFootball. 27 April 2013. 4 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140204150630/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1988A.html. live.
  16. Web site: Socceroo Internationals for 1997. OzFootball. 27 April 2013. 3 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212944/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/1997A.html. live.
  17. Web site: Socceroo Internationals for 2001. OzFootball. 27 April 2013. 4 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140204150509/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/2001A.html. live.
  18. Web site: Socceroos win 3–1 against England. The Age. Dan Silkstone. 14 February 2013. 5 October 2017. 31 October 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081031133707/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/13/1044927700559.html. live.
  19. Web site: Goal at last: Australia joining Asia. The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 March 2005. 29 April 2013. 6 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131106001009/http://www.smh.com.au/news/Football/Goal-at-last-Australia-joining-Asia/2005/03/10/1110417621684.html. live.
  20. Web site: Johnny Warren. worldwardiary.com. 29 April 2013. 5 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305085056/http://worldwardiary.com/history/johnny_warren. live.
  21. Web site: Goodbye Oceania, Hallo Asia Australia FINALLY gets its wish. Socceroo Realm. 29 April 2013.
  22. Web site: Hope hinges on Guus Hiddink. People's Daily Online. 29 April 2013. 17 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130517215159/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200507/29/eng20050729_199034.html. live.
  23. Web site: Australia crushes Jamaica. The Age. 10 October 2005. 29 April 2013. 4 November 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104102058/http://www.theage.com.au/news/soccer/hiddink-experiments-pay-off-against-jamaica/2005/10/10/1128796413238.html. live.
  24. Web site: Aloisi ends Aussie wait. https://web.archive.org/web/20130209043725/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/matches/qualifiers/match=42917/index.html. dead. 9 February 2013. FIFA.com . FIFA. 8 October 2013.
  25. Web site: Uruguay 0, Australia 82,698. The Age. 17 November 2005. 29 April 2013. 1 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150901133608/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/11/16/1132016866524.html?from=top5. live.
  26. Web site: From the Terraces: It's Us Against The World. Jay Nair. homepagedaily.com. 29 April 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121025083100/http://homepagedaily.com/Pages/article8947-from-the-terraces-its-us-against-the-world--by-jay-nair.aspx. 25 October 2012.
  27. News: G, it's a sellout for World Cup send-off . . 5 April 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060410215456/http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0%2C5478%2C18714991%5E11088%2C00.html . 10 April 2006 . dead .
  28. News: Australia 3–1 Japan . BBC Sport . 12 June 2006 . 13 June 2006 . 26 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150926101105/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4852706.stm . live .
  29. News: A Tumble, a Whistle and a Controversial Victory for Italy. Mark. Landler. The New York Times. 27 June 2006. 18 March 2021. 29 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129094010/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/27/sports/soccer/27italy.html. live.
  30. News: Italy 1 Australia 0: Totti makes most of referee's penalty present. Steve. Tongue. The Independent. 1 April 2009. 18 March 2021. 20 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230920222953/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/italy-1-australia-0-totti-makes-most-of-referee-s-penalty-present-6096979.html. live.
  31. Web site: A Beautiful Mind. The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 January 2014. 27 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131027010114/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-cup-2006/a-beautiful-mind/2005/12/16/1134703612062.html. live.
  32. Web site: Australia Wins AFC Men's Team of the Year. refsroom.ausref.com. 30 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131211041052/http://refsroom.ausref.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2209. 11 December 2013. dead.
  33. Web site: Socceroos' golden generation has much to teach our youth. The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 July 2012. 25 September 2013. 6 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131106031203/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/socceroos-golden-generation-has-much-to-teach-our-youth-20120721-22gti.html. live.
  34. Web site: Verbeek is new Socceroos coach. The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 December 2007. 29 April 2013. 8 December 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071208141102/http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/verbeek-will-be-socceroos-coach/2007/12/06/1196812889741.html. live.
  35. Web site: 2010 World Cup Qualification History: Group D. 24 March 2010. soccerlens.com. 29 April 2013. 9 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141109050425/http://soccerlens.com/2010-world-cup-qualification-history-group-d/43857/. live.
  36. News: Verbeek takes blame for Socceroos defeat . The Sydney Morning Herald . 14 June 2010 . Sydney . 8 November 2010 . 8 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108095436/http://www.smh.com.au/world-cup-2010/world-cup-news/verbeek-takes-blame-for-socceroos-defeat-20100614-y6gy.html . live .
  37. News: Craig Foster – sack Pim Verbeek immediately. The Australian. 16 June 2010. Tim. Hilferty. 8 November 2010. 29 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429172335/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/craig-foster-sack-pim-verbeek-immediately/story-fn4l4sip-1225880401600. live.
  38. Web site: Holger Osieck named Socceroos coach. Fox Sports Australia. 29 April 2013.
  39. News: Australia 0–1 Japan (AET) . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8290841/Australia-0-Japan-1-aet-match-report.html . 11 January 2022 . subscription . live . 29 January 2011 . Daily Telegraph . 2 February 2011 . London.
  40. Web site: Australia sets sights on East Asia Cup. The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 29 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130928023124/http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1118501/australia-sets-sights-on-east-asia-cup. 28 September 2013. dead.
  41. News: Rookie Socceroos selected for East Asian Cup. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 April 2013. 14 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140514201606/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-22/rookie-socceroos-selected-for-east-asian-cup/4386314. live.
  42. Web site: Osieck: East Asian Cup was valuable. The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 25 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130928023119/http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/socceroos/news/1161484/Osieck-East-Asian-Cup-was-valuable. 28 September 2013. dead.
  43. News: Australia joins ASEAN Football Federation. 30 October 2017. Goal Ghana. 27 August 2013. 7 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107014023/http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4630/soccerex/2013/08/27/4216435/australia-joins-asean-football-federation. live.
  44. News: Bossi . Dominic . Socceroos seeking entrance into 2020 Suzuki Cup . 27 January 2019 . The Sydney Morning Herald . 31 January 2019 . 31 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190131145513/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/socceroos-seeking-entrance-into-2020-suzuki-cup-20190131-p50us0.html . live .
  45. Web site: Socceroo Internationals for 2011. OzFootball. 29 April 2013. 4 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140204150422/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/2011A.html. live.
  46. Web site: Super-sub Kennedy sends Australia to Brazil. The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 18 June 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131205012306/http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1156519/super-sub-kennedy-sends-australia-to-brazil. 5 December 2013. dead.
  47. Web site: Holger Osieck's contract terminated. Football Federation Australia. 12 October 2013. 14 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131014092433/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/holger-osieck-s-contract-terminated/77026. dead.
  48. Web site: Ange Postecoglou appointed Socceroos coach. Football Federation Australia. 23 October 2013. 29 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191629/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/ange-postecoglou-appointed-socceroos-coach/77480. dead.
  49. Web site: Andrew Webster . World Cup 2014: Ange Postecoglou's Socceroos regeneration has FFA backing . 12 June 2014 . Smh.com.au . 20 February 2015 . 13 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140613092623/http://www.smh.com.au/fifa-world-cup-2014/australia-2014/world-cup-2014-ange-postecoglous-socceroos-regeneration-has-ffa-backing-20140612-zs4o3.html . live .
  50. Web site: Positive signs emerge for Socceroos as bold new era begins in earnest. The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 November 2013. 8 January 2014. 23 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131223181146/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/positive-signs-emerge-for-socceroos-as-bold-new-era-begins-in-earnest-20131119-2xtks.html. live.
  51. Web site: Australia in a nightmare 'Group of Death' for Brazil World Cup. The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 December 2013. 8 January 2014. 12 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140112080156/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/australia-in-nightmare-group-of-death-for-brazil-world-cup-20131207-2yxjw.html. live.
  52. Web site: Exciting times for new golden generation: Milligan | Football Federation Australia . Footballaustralia.com.au . 20 February 2015 . 8 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150108075455/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/article/exciting-times-for-new-golden-generation-milligan/yy028lqzc9fy182rf3035ykeo . live .
  53. Web site: Welcome our new 'Golden Generation' | Football Federation Australia . Footballaustralia.com.au . 20 February 2015 . 8 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150108075503/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/article/welcome-our-new-golden-generation/yqbsl7ds9zci1oy3146k62c6z . live .
  54. Web site: FIFA rankings: Socceroos hit their first century as Japan emerges as Asia's top side . foxsports.com.au. 19 August 2015.
  55. News: Asian Cup 2015: Outstanding Australia beats Oman 4–0 to secure quarter-final place – Asian Cup 2015 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) . ABC News . 13 January 2015 . Abc.net.au . 20 February 2015 . 20 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160520090348/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-13/outstanding-socceroos-beat-oman-4-0-to-secure-quarter-final-spot/6015456 . live .
  56. News: Asian Cup: Australia wins first title with 2–1 extra-time win over South Korea. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 January 2015. 31 January 2015. 2 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150202021006/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-31/australia-socceroos-win-asian-cup/6060038?section=sport. live.
  57. Web site: Australia beat South Korea after extra time. 31 January 2015. BBC Sport. 2 February 2015. 23 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160123123503/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31073689. live.
  58. News: Ange Postecoglou quits as Socceroos coach. The Guardian. 22 November 2017. 21 November 2017. 6 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180206091436/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/22/ange-postecoglou-quits-as-socceroos-coach. live.
  59. News: Van Marwijk appointed new Socceroos coach . The World Game . 25 January 2018 . 1 February 2018 . . 1 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180201200027/https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/01/25/van-marwijk-appointed-new-socceroos-coach . live .
  60. News: Socceroos name former Netherlands boss Bert Van Marwijk as coach for 2018 World Cup . . Australia . 25 January 2018 . 1 February 2018 . 2 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180202061032/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-25/bert-van-marwijk-named-socceroos-coach/9360858 . live .
  61. News: FIFA World Cup 2018: Bert van Marwijk appointed new Socceroos coach . . 25 January 2018 . 1 February 2018 . Bossi, Dominic . 1 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180201193111/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/bert-van-marwijk-appointed-socceroos-coach-for-world-cup-20180125-h0o2am.html . live .
  62. News: No surprises as Graham Arnold takes on impossible Socceroos job. Jonathan. Howcroft. The Guardian. 8 March 2018. 8 March 2018. 8 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180308064903/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/mar/08/graham-arnold-socceroos-coach-after-2018-world-cup-bert-van-marwijk. live.
  63. News: France 2–1 Australia: World Cup 2018 – as it happened. Jonathan. Howcroft. The Guardian. 16 June 2018. 11 February 2019. www.theguardian.com. 26 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190626055619/https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/jun/16/france-v-australia-world-cup-2018-live. live.
  64. News: Denmark vs. Australia 2018 World Cup: A 1–1 tie keeps the Socceroos alive. The Washington Post. 21 June 2018. 8 February 2019. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011432/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2018/06/21/denmark-vs-australia-2018-world-cup/. live.
  65. Web site: Football news: Andre Carrillo and Luis Advíncula both get an 8 as Peru cruise past Australia 2–0 on World Cup bow – Article – Sport360. sport360.com. 11 February 2019. 9 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124122/https://sport360.com/article/world_cup_2018/analysis/290350/andre-carrillo-and-luis-advincula-both-get-an-8-as-peru-cruise-past-australia-2-0-on-world-cup-bow. live.
  66. Web site: AFC Asian Cup 2019: Australia 0 Jordan 1: Champions stunned in Group B opener. OPTA. 6 January 2019. mykhel.com. 11 February 2019. 9 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124306/https://www.mykhel.com/football/afc-asian-cup-2019-australia-0-jordan-1-champions-stunned-in-group-b-opener-107456.html. live.
  67. Web site: Australia bounce back from opening loss with easy victory. 17 January 2019. AS.com. 11 February 2019. 9 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124514/https://en.as.com/en/2019/01/11/football/1547201162_797853.html. live.
  68. Web site: Socceroos hold out spirited Syria 3–2 to progress in Asian Cup. Liam. Butterworth. 16 January 2019. ABC News. 11 February 2019. 25 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190125075051/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-16/socceroos-down-syria-3-2-to-progress-in-asian-cup/10716986. live.
  69. Web site: Australia 0 Uzbekistan 0 (aet, 4–2 on penalties): Ryan heroics see holders hobble onwards. beIN SPORTS. 21 January 2019. 8 February 2019. 9 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190209183027/https://www.beinsports.com/en/afc-asian-cup-uae-2019/video/australia-0-uzbekistan-0-aet-4-2-on-penalti-1/1091390. live.
  70. Web site: Asian Cup 2019: UAE v Australia as it happened – UAE win 1–0 thanks to Ali Mabkhout strike. The National. 25 January 2019. 11 February 2019. 9 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180213/https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/asian-cup-2019-uae-v-australia-as-it-happened-uae-win-1-0-thanks-to-ali-mabkhout-strike-1.818028. live.
  71. Web site: 2019-07-17 . Australia to face Jordan, Chinese Taipei, Kuwait, and Nepal in combined qualifiers . 2022-12-02 . Socceroos . en . 2 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123217/https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/australia-face-jordan-chinese-taipei-kuwait-nepal-combined-qualifiers-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022 . live .
  72. News: 2021-07-01 . Soccer-China handed tough draw in World Cup preliminaries . en . Reuters . 2022-12-02 . 2 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123215/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-worldcup-asia-idCAKCN2E73Q6 . live .
  73. Web site: 2022-02-01 . Australia's World Cup road now rocky after dispiriting draw at Oman . 2022-12-02 . ESPN.com . en . 2 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123215/https://www.espn.com/soccer/australia-aus/story/4583623/australias-world-cup-road-now-rocky-after-dispiriting-draw-at-oman . live .
  74. Web site: United Arab Emirates 1–2 Australia: Australians set up Peru clash for place at World Cup finals . 2022-12-02 . Sky Sports . en . 2 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123215/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12629706/united-arab-emirates-1-2-australia-australians-set-up-peru-clash-for-place-at-world-cup-finals . live .
  75. News: Australia book World Cup place on penalties . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-12-02 . 2 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221202163343/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61771218 . live .
  76. Web site: Australia edge Peru on penalties for historical sixth Qatar 2022 spot. the-afc. Asian Football Confederation. 30 May 2023. 14 June 2022. 30 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230530094415/https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/fifa_world_cup/news/inter-confederation_playoff_australia_v_peru_1.html. live.
  77. News: 2022-09-22 . Mabil on target as Socceroos defeat NZ in friendly international in Brisbane . en-AU . ABC News . 2022-12-02 . 2 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221202123210/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-22/socceroos-v-nz-live-updates-brisbane/101464574 . live .
  78. Web site: 2022-09-25 . Garang Kuol and Jason Cummings shine on debut as Socceroos beat New Zealand . 2022-12-02 . the Guardian . en . 25 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925065433/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/25/garang-kuol-and-jason-cummings-shine-on-debut-as-socceroos-beat-new-zealand . live .
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