2022 World Cup: 5 Unique Facts about the Australian National Team, the AFF Representative in Qatar

 The Australian national team is not the top team in the 2022 World Cup . However, the country that represents the AFF in the 2022 World Cup has the potential to make a surprise.

Australia has been able to qualify for the World Cup, although it has not had a striking achievement. However, they should not come to Qatar without a specific target. Australia has to compete on a competitive level.

The Australian national team coach, Graham Arnold, chose to be humble regarding the chances of his team on stage at the 2022 World Cup. The 58-year-old said his squad was used to going through steep roads, including via the playoffs.

The 2022 World Cup is Australia’s fifth World Cup. In the inaugural edition, 2006, they immediately stepped on the gas, at which time the Socceroos were able to survive until the round of 16.

The beautiful romance of 2006 did not continue into the next three editions: 2010, 2014, and 2018. The Socceroos stopped at the group stage. In this fifth edition, the Australian people hope that their favorite team can go far, although to make it happen is not as easy as turning the palm of the hand.

Looking back, Australia actually has a pretty proud record on the international stage.

1997 Confederations Cup runners-up

You could say, at this moment the rise of Australian football. Despite losing prestige to the World Cup, the Confederations Cup is no less prestigious.

Advancing to the final, Australia met Brazil at the King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Australia lost 0-6. Brazilian stars at the time, Ronaldo and Romario each scored a hat-trick.

The defeat in the final was inversely proportional to the actions of Mark Viduka et al in the previous phase, when they successfully beat Mexico and Uruguay and had time to hold Brazil to a 0-0 draw in the second match of Group A.

2006 World Cup Round of 16

A 2-2 draw against Croatia was enough for Australia to accompany Brazil to the knockout stages. The Australian doubles were scored by Craig Moore and Harry Kewel, respectively.

In Group F, Australia is in second place with four points. Victory was obtained when they beat Japan 3-1. Unfortunately, the steps of Kewel et al stopped in the round of 16 after being bent by Italy 1-0 which later emerged as champions.

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Tim Cahill’s beautiful goal at the 2014 World Cup

In this edition, Australia lifts luggage faster. They failed to continue the stellar trend they had four years earlier in Germany.

Left out in the group stage, but Tim Cahill’s goal against the Netherlands deserves to be remembered. Cahill, who was playing with Everton at that time, made his name on the scoreboard via a volley in the 21st minute.

Unfortunately, Cahill’s goal was not able to save his team from defeat. Australia gave up 2-3.

Win with a score of 31-0

In the world of football, losing 0-5 or 0-7 is normal. However, if you lose by tens of goals, that’s just extraordinary.

Yep, the fact beyond reason was presented when Australia skinned Samoa 31 goals without reply in the 2002 Pre World Cup match. Previously, they also massacred Tonga 22-0.

2015 Asian Cup Champion

The Asian zone, Australia was once powerful. It was presented in 2015 after they crushed another top seed, South Korea, in the final.

Competing in front of their own supporters, Australia ended the duel at the Australian Stadium, Sydney, with a thin 2-1 score through Massimo Corey Luongo and James Troisi.