Current FIFA World Ranking: 21st
FIFA Trigram: AUS
2010 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 1st in AFC Group 1 (6-0-2; 12 GF, 1 GA)
World Cup Finals Appearances: 3 – 1974 (14th), 2006 (16th), 2010
Record vs. USA: 0-1-1
Head Coach: Pim Verbeek (The Netherlands)
Championship Honors: Oceania Nations Cup (1980, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorers: Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton (4)
Key Players: Tim Cahill (Everton), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Lucas Neill (Everton), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham)
Language: English
After making the second round in 2006 and losing to eventual champions Italy 1-0 due to a stoppage time penalty kick, The Socceroos return for their second-consecutive FIFA World Cup … Qualified for Germany 2006 from OFC, but switched confederations and joined AFC after the last World Cup … Cruised through Round 4 of AFC qualifying without losing a game … Attained their highest FIFA World Ranking - 14th - in September of 2009 … Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer mans the posts for Clint Dempsey and EPL side Fulham, earning ten shutouts in the 2008-2009 season in all competitions and being named 2008-2009 Fulham Player of the Year … Tim Howard’s Everton teammate Tim Cahill scored Australia’s first World Cup goals against Japan in 2006
