Australia manager Bert Van Marwijk

World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick off time, group, coach and squad for Australia

They can’t be as bad as their cricket team.

by Alexis Haden

23-05-2018 11:17

in Soccer

Australia manager Bert Van Marwijk

Facts about Australia (Group C)

Honours: Asian Cup winners 2015; Oceania Football Confederation Nations Cup winners 1980, 1996, 2000, 2004

Past World Cup performance: Fifth participation

Best result: Last 16 (2006)

FIFA ranking: 40th

Main clubs: Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory

Nickname: Socceroos

How they qualified: Came third in Asian qualifying Group B behind Japan and Saudi Arabia, then won the intercontinental playoff against Honduras (3-2 on aggregate)

Coach: Bert van Marwijk

Van Marwijk replaced Ange Postecoglou in January and has since helped instil a disciplined, attack-minded approach in a bid to achieve their objective of “surviving the first round”.

Although the 65-year-old Dutchman admitted Australia would only normally have a ten percent chance of beating the Euro 2016 finalists, he is dreaming big on the eve of their lunchtime Group C clash.

Australia World Cup squad

Brad Jones, Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic; Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Matthew Jurman, James Meredith, Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury; Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse, Massimo Luongo, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic; Daniel Arzani, Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Mathew Leckie, Andrew Nabbout, Dimitri Petratos, Jamie Maclaren.