Talk:Australia men's national soccer team/OriginalVersion

Australia
	Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)	Socceroos
Association	Australian Soccer Association;
Head coach	Frank Farina, 2000-
Most caps	Alex Tobin (87)
Top scorer	Damian Mori (29)
First colours	Second colours
First international
	New Zealand 3 - 1 Australia; (Dunedin, New Zealand; June 17, 1922)
Biggest win
	Australia 31 - 0 American Samoa ; (Coffs Harbour, Australia; April 11, 2001)
Biggest defeat
	Australia 0 - 8 South Africa; (Adelaide, Australia; September 17, 1955)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 1974)
Best result	Round 1, 1974
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1980)
Best result	Winners, 1980, 1996, ; 2000, 2004

The Australia national soccer team, known by their nickname, the Socceroos are Australia's men's national association football (soccer) team. They are organised by the Australian Soccer Association, the national governing body for soccer in Australia.

History[edit]

The national team played at the World Cup finals in West Germany in 1974, which to date has been their only appearance in this event. Over more recent years, the Australian team is known for its near misses in its attempts to qualify for the World Cup, most notably the 1998 and 2002 events.

In 1997, after winning the Oceania Football Confederation qualifying tournament, Australia had to play Iran over two legs with the winner progressing to the World Cup finals to be held in France. Australia, under coach Terry Venables, tied the away leg 1-1 and looked like they were going to proceed to the finals in France, initially leading 2-0 in the home game in Melbourne, however Iran managed to score two later goals and went through on the away goals rule.

In 2001 Australia again won the Oceania Confederation qualifying tournament. Second and third-string lineups thrashed a number of tiny island nations in a competition that made a mockery of the Confederation, including a world record 31-0 demolition of American Samoa. Still missing Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, Australia comfortably beat New Zealand, their only real threat in the Oceania confederation. Australia then once again had to win a two leg playoff to advance to the World Cup finals to be held in South Korea and Japan. On this occasion the opposition was the 5th placed South American team, Uruguay. In the first leg in Melbourne, Australia won 1-0 after Kevin Muscat scored from a penalty kick, however Australia's qualification campaign ended unsuccessfully as they lost 3-0 in the away leg in Montevideo.

The team's miserable record in World Cup competition is not reflected in their reasonable performances in friendlies against strong European and South American sides, with victories in friendlies against France and Brazil in 2002. A particular highlight for Australian football, and the one that attracted most public attention, was the 3-1 victory over traditional sporting rivals England in a friendly in London in 2003. It has been suggested that, in order to improve their chances in international competition, Australia should leave the Oceania confederation and join the Asian Football Confederation.

In 2004, the team took the first steps towards qualification for the 2006 World Cup by topping the round-robin stage of the Oceania Football Confederation World Cup qualification tournament. The team did draw 2-2 with the Solomon Islands, which combined with other results put that team ahead of New Zealand in the standings and meaning that the two-leg playoff will be against the Solomons rather than the expected New Zealand.

Current notable players include Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Brett Emerton.

World Cup record[edit]

1930 to 1962 - Did not enter
1966 - Did not qualify
1970 - Did not qualify
1974 - Round 1
1978 to 2002 - Did not qualify

Oceania Nations Cup record[edit]

1973 - Did not enter
1980 - Champions
1996 - Champions
1998 - Second place
2000 - Champions
2002 - Second place
2004 - Champions

Records[edit]

Most appearances[edit]

87 - Alex Tobin (1988-2000)
84 - Paul Wade (1986-96)
64 - Peter Wilson (1970-79)

Most goals in a match[edit]

13 - Archie Thompson v American Samoa, 2001
8 - David Zridilic v American Samoa, 2001
7 - Gary Cole v Fiji, 1981

Highest team score[edit]

31 v American Samoa, 2001
22 v Tonga, 2001
17 v Cook Islands, 2000

Record in World Cup Finals 1974[edit]

v East Germany in Hamburg, 0-2
v West Germany in Hamburg, 0-3
v Chile in West Berlin, 0-0

External links[edit]

pl:Reprezentacja Australii w piłce nożnej

v t e National football teams of Oceania (OFC)
OFC Nations Cup
Active	American Samoa Cook Islands FS Micronesia² Fiji Kiribati¹ New Caledonia New Zealand Niue² Palau² Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tahiti Tonga Tuvalu¹ Vanuatu
Former	Australia (moved to AFC in 2006) Northern Mariana Islands³ (moved to AFC in 2009) Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)⁴ (returned to AFC in 1989)
¹ Associate member of OFC - Not a member of FIFA ² Not a member of OFC and consequently not a member of FIFA ³ Northern Mariana Islands was only an associate member of OFC between 1998 and 2009 - Not a member of FIFA ⁴ Although not geographically in Oceania, Chinese Taipei was a member of the OFC between 1976–1978 and 1982–1989 Although not geographically in Oceania Israel entered OFC World Cup qualification in 1986 and 1990 due to political reasons, though it never became a formal OFC member.

v t e International association football
FIFA Federations Teams Competitions World Cup U-20 U-17 Olympics Youth Olympics Universiade World Rankings The Best FIFA Football Awards Timeline
Africa	CAF – Africa Cup of Nations U-23 U-20 U-17 African Nations Championship Regional (CECAFA, CEMAC, COSAFA, WAFU) Intercontinental (Arab)
Asia	AFC – Asian Cup U-23 U-20 U-17 Regional (ASEAN, Central, East, South, West) Interregional (AFF-EAFF) Intercontinental (Arab)
Europe	UEFA – Euro U-21 U-19 U-17 Nations League Interregional (CONMEBOL–UEFA)
North & Central America and the Caribbean	CONCACAF – Gold Cup U-20 U-17 U-15 Nations League
Oceania	OFC – Men's Nations Cup U-19 U-16/U-17
South America	CONMEBOL – Copa América U-20 U-17 U-15 Interregional (CONMEBOL–UEFA)
Non-FIFA	CONIFA – CONIFA World Football Cup CONIFA European Football Cup CONIFA South America Football Cup CONIFA Africa Football Cup IIGA – Island Games ODEBO – Bolivarian Games ODESUR – South American Games South American Board of New Federations (COSANFF) World Unity Football Alliance (WUFA)
Games	African Games Arab Games Asian Games Central America Games Central America and Caribbean Games East Asian Games Jeux de la Francophonie Goodwill Games Indian Ocean Island Games Islamic Solidarity Games Lusofonia Games Mediterranean Games Micronesian Games Pan American Games Pacific Games Pacific Mini Games South Asian Games Southeast Asian Games West Asian Games
See also Geography Codes Player/Club of the Century Women's football