kids encyclopedia robot

Australia men's national soccer team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Australia women's national soccer team.
Quick facts for kids
Australia
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Socceroos
Association Football Australia
Confederation AFC (Asia; 2006–present)
OFC (Oceania; 1966–1972, 1978–2006)
Sub-confederation AFF (Southeast Asia)
Head coach Tony Popovic
Captain Mathew Ryan
Most caps Mark Schwarzer (109)
Top scorer Tim Cahill (50)
Home stadium Various
FIFA code AUS
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 42 Decrease 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 14 (September 2009)
Lowest 102 (November 2014)
Elo ranking
Current 45 Decrease 10 (3 March 2019)
Highest 9 (14 August 2001)
Lowest 75 (November 1965)
First international
 New Zealand 3–1 Australia 
(Dunedin, New Zealand; 17 June 1922)
Biggest win
 Australia 31–0 American Samoa 
(Coffs Harbour, Australia; 11 April 2001)
(World record for senior international matches)
Biggest defeat
 Australia 0–8 South Africa 
(Adelaide, Australia; 17 September 1955)
World Cup
Appearances 6 (first in 1974)
Best result Round of 16 (2006, 2022)
Asian Cup
Appearances 5 (first in 2007)
Best result Champions (2015)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances 6 (first in 1980)
Best result Champions (1980,
1996, 2000, 2004)
Confederations Cup
Appearances 4 (first in 1997)
Best result Runners-up (1997)
Medal record
Men's football
FIFA Confederations Cup
Silver 1997 Saudi Arabia Team
Bronze 2001 Korea/Japan Team
AFC Asian Cup
Gold 2015 Australia Team
Silver 2011 Qatar Team
OFC Nations Cup
Gold 1980 New Caledonia Team
Gold 1996 No Host Team
Gold 2000 Tahiti Team
Gold 2004 Australia Team
Silver 1998 Australia Team
Silver 2002 New Zealand Team
AFC–OFC Challenge Cup
Silver 2001 Japan Team
Website

The Australia men's national soccer team, also known as the Socceroos, represents Australia in international men's soccer. The team is managed by Football Australia and is part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The Socceroos played their first game in 1922. They were originally part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). While in the OFC, Australia won the OFC Nations Cup four times between 1980 and 2004. They even set a world record for the largest win in a senior international match, beating American Samoa 31–0 in a World Cup qualifier! Despite this, they only qualified for the FIFA World Cup twice in 11 tries during their time in the OFC.

In 2006, the team moved to the AFC. Since then, they have qualified for every World Cup, adding four more appearances for a total of six. They also won the AFC Asian Cup in 2015 and were runners-up in 2011. Winning the Asian Cup made Australia the only team in the world to have won two different continental cups! They reached the knockout stages of the World Cup twice, in 2006 and 2022.

The team also played in the FIFA Confederations Cup four times, earning a silver medal in 1997 and a bronze in 2001. Mark Schwarzer has played the most games for Australia (109), and Tim Cahill has scored the most goals (50). The Socceroos have rivalries with New Zealand, Uruguay, and, more recently, Japan.

Socceroos History

Main article: History of the Australia national soccer team

Early Days and First World Cup

Australia soccer team 1922
The first Australia soccer team (wearing light blue shirts) in 1922.

The first Australian national team played its first games in 1922 against New Zealand. For many years, Australia mostly played against New Zealand and South Africa. They also played against Canada and India. In 1951, Australia had its biggest loss, 17–0, against England.

Australia got to play in a big international tournament for the first time as hosts of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. However, they didn't do very well with an inexperienced team.

After trying and failing to qualify for the World Cup in 1966 and 1970, Australia finally made it to their first World Cup in West Germany in 1974. The team, mostly made up of amateur players, drew one game and lost two, finishing last in their group without scoring any goals. It would be over 30 years before they qualified again. For a long time, Australia was known for almost qualifying but missing out in play-off games.

The "Golden Generation" and Moving to Asia

The Australian team sometimes played very well against strong European and South American teams. In 1988, they beat the world champions Argentina 4–1. In 1997, they reached the final of the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup after drawing with Brazil and beating Uruguay. In 2001, they finished third in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup after beating France and Brazil. In 2003, they beat England 3–1 in a friendly match.

In 2005, Australia decided to leave the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Many people believed this was the best way for Australian soccer to improve. FIFA approved the move, and it officially happened on 1 January 2006.

Before the move, Australia still had to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup as an OFC member. After a tough qualifying campaign, they faced Uruguay in a play-off. The first game was a 1–0 loss in Uruguay. The second game, played in Sydney on 16 November 2005, was a thrilling match. Australia won 1–0, making the score tied overall. The game went to extra time, then to a penalty shootout. Australia won the shootout 4–2, with goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer making two saves and John Aloisi scoring the winning penalty. This was Australia's first World Cup qualification in 32 years!

Australia was one of the lowest-ranked teams at the 2006 World Cup. They were in a tough group with Japan, Croatia, and defending champions Brazil. In their first game, Australia beat Japan 3–1, with Tim Cahill scoring two goals and John Aloisi scoring one in the last eight minutes. These were Australia's first ever World Cup goals! They lost 2–0 to Brazil but drew 2–2 with Croatia, which was enough to reach the Round of 16. There, they lost 1–0 to eventual champions Italy after a controversial penalty. This team became known as Australia's "golden generation" because of their success.

Recent Successes and World Cup Appearances

Australia played in their first AFC Asian Cup in 2007. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Japan on penalties.

The Socceroos qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup easily, finishing first in their group. At the World Cup, they were in a group with Germany, Ghana, and Serbia. They lost 4–0 to Germany, drew 1–1 with Ghana, and beat Serbia 2–1. Even though they won their last game, the big loss to Germany meant they were knocked out in the group stage.

In 2011, Australia reached the Asian Cup Final but lost 1–0 to Japan in extra time.

Australia also qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They were in a very tough group with Spain (the reigning champions), the Netherlands (2010 runners-up), and Chile. They lost all three games (3–1 to Chile, 3–2 to the Netherlands, and 3–0 to Spain). Even though they lost, their fighting spirit in such a difficult group made fans hopeful for the future.

Winning the AFC Asian Cup in 2015

2015 AFC Asian Cup opening match Australia Kuwait, 9 January 2015 (3)
Australia playing against Kuwait in the opening match of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

In 2015, Australia hosted the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. They won their first two group games against Kuwait (4–1) and Oman (4–0), which meant they qualified for the knockout stage. They lost their final group game 1–0 to South Korea.

In the quarter-finals, Australia beat China PR 2–0, with Tim Cahill scoring both goals. They then beat the United Arab Emirates 2–0 in the semi-finals to reach the final. On 31 January, they faced South Korea again in the final at Stadium Australia. Australia won 2–1 after extra time, claiming their first ever Asian Cup title! This win also qualified them for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.

After qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, coach Ange Postecoglou stepped down. Australia was in a group with Denmark, France, and Peru. They played well but lost 2–1 to eventual champions France and drew 1–1 with Denmark. They then lost 2–0 to Peru and were knocked out.

Under new coach Graham Arnold, Australia tried to defend their Asian Cup title in 2019. They lost their first game 1–0 to Jordan but then beat Palestine 3–0 and Syria 3–2 to reach the knockout stage. They beat Uzbekistan on penalties but then lost 1–0 to the host team, United Arab Emirates, in the quarter-finals.

2022 FIFA World Cup Comeback

Australia had a strong start in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, winning all eight games in the second round. In the third round, they finished third in their group, meaning they had to play in play-offs. All the play-off games were held in Qatar due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, they beat the United Arab Emirates 2–1. Then, they faced Peru, a team they had played in the 2018 World Cup. This time, Australia held Peru to a 0–0 draw and won the penalty shootout, qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup! This meant that the Asian confederation had its largest number of teams ever in a World Cup, with six countries qualifying.

2022 FIFA World Cup France 4–1 Australia - (5)
Australia before their match against France in the opening match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

At the 2022 World Cup, Australia was in Group D with world champions France, Denmark, and Tunisia. They lost their first game 4–1 to France, even though they scored first. Three days later, Australia won their first World Cup game since 2010, beating Tunisia 1–0 with a goal from Mitchell Duke. Four days after that, they won 1–0 against Denmark, thanks to a goal from Mathew Leckie.

Australia finished second in their group, behind France, and reached the knockout stage. This was a huge achievement and was celebrated across Australia. In the Round of 16, Australia lost 2–1 to Argentina, who went on to win the tournament.

In September 2024, Graham Arnold stepped down as head coach, and Tony Popovic was appointed as the new coach.

Team Look and Nickname

Kit (Uniform)
Australia's first national kit, 1922

Australia's first uniform in 1922 was sky blue with a maroon stripe on the socks. These colors represented the states of New South Wales and Queensland. In 1924, they changed to their famous green and gold colors.

Since the 1960s, Australia has worn a yellow jersey, usually with green shorts and yellow socks. The green and yellow colors are not from the Australian flag. Instead, they come from the acacia plant, which has green leaves and yellow flowers and is a symbol of Australia.

The team's current away uniform is a turquoise shirt with gold stripes, navy shorts, and turquoise socks. Instead of the Football Australia logo, the jersey usually features the coat of arms of Australia. Nike has been the kit supplier since 2004.

Nickname: The Socceroos

QANTAS 747, Hong Kong, Sept. 2010 - Flickr - PhillipC
Socceroos livery on a Qantas 747–400.

The nickname "Socceroos" was created in 1967 by a journalist named Tony Horstead. It's a mix of the words "soccer" and "kangaroo," which is a famous Australian animal. Many Australian national sports teams have similar nicknames, like the "Olyroos" for the Olympic soccer team. This nickname is used by fans, the media, and the team itself.

Rivalries

Australia v Japan
One of the matches of the 2006 World Cup was a group stage match between Australia and Japan at Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

New Zealand

Main article: Australia–New Zealand soccer rivalry

Australia's oldest rivals are their neighbors, New Zealand. Their rivalry started in 1922 with their first international match. This rivalry is part of a bigger friendly competition between Australia and New Zealand in many areas, not just sports. When both teams were in the OFC, they often played each other in important matches to qualify for the World Cup. Now that Australia is in the AFC, they don't play as often, but their matches are still exciting.

Japan

Main article: Australia–Japan football rivalry

After joining the AFC, Australia developed a strong rivalry with Japan. This rivalry began at the 2006 World Cup when they were in the same group. They have played many important games since then, including the 2011 Asian Cup final and World Cup qualifiers.

South Korea

Main article: Australia–South Korea football rivalry

Another big rival in Asia is South Korea. They played each other in World Cup qualifiers in the 1970s, and more recently, Australia beat South Korea in the 2015 Asian Cup final.

Uruguay

Main article: Australia–Uruguay football rivalry

Australia also has a rivalry with Uruguay. They played each other in important World Cup play-offs in 2001 and 2005, with each team winning one to qualify. They also met in the 1997 Confederations Cup.

Supporters

The main fan group for the Australian national team is Australian Active Support (AAS). This group helps organize fans and keep them connected. They encourage Australians to support their national soccer team.

Home Stadium

Australia doesn't have one main stadium where the team always plays. Instead, they play at different large stadiums across the country for games and tournaments. Some of these stadiums include Stadium Australia in Sydney, Hunter Stadium in Newcastle, and Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. They also play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Canberra Stadium.

Australia's first international home game was in 1923 at the Gabba in Brisbane, where they beat New Zealand 2–1.

Games in England

Since 2003, the Socceroos have also played many games in England, especially in London. This is because many Australian players play for clubs in European leagues.

Results and Upcoming Games

Main article: Australia national soccer team results (2020–present)
Further information: 2022–23 in Australian soccer and 2023–24 in Australian soccer

Here are the results from the last year and some future games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024

2025

Coaching Staff

See also: List of Australia national soccer team managers
Position Name
Head coach Australia Tony Popovic
Assistant coach Australia Paul Okon
Assistant coach Australia Hayden Foxe
Goalkeeping coach Australia Frank Juric
Team analyst Australia Michael Mantikos
Sports dietician Australia Julie Meek

Players

For all past and present players who have appeared for the national team, see List of Australia men's international soccer players.
See also: List of Australia national soccer team captains

Current Squad

These 25 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in November 2024. Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of 20 November 2024.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Ryan, MathewMathew Ryan (captain) (1992-04-08) 8 April 1992 (age 33) 96 0 Italy Roma
12 1GK Izzo, PaulPaul Izzo (1995-01-06) 6 January 1995 (age 30) 0 0 Denmark Randers
18 1GK Gauci, JoeJoe Gauci (2000-07-04) 4 July 2000 (age 24) 7 0 England Aston Villa
2 2DF Degenek, MilošMiloš Degenek (1994-04-28) 28 April 1994 (age 31) 44 1 Serbia Red Star Belgrade
3 2DF Miller, LewisLewis Miller (2000-08-24) 24 August 2000 (age 24) 10 1 Scotland Hibernian
4 2DF Grant, RhyanRhyan Grant (1991-02-26) 26 February 1991 (age 34) 21 1 Australia Sydney FC
5 2DF Bos, JordanJordan Bos (2002-10-29) 29 October 2002 (age 22) 19 1 Belgium Westerlo
8 2DF Geria, JasonJason Geria (1993-05-10) 10 May 1993 (age 32) 5 0 Australia Melbourne Victory
16 2DF Behich, AzizAziz Behich (1990-12-16) 16 December 1990 (age 34) 77 2 Australia Melbourne City
17 2DF Matthews, HaydenHayden Matthews (2004-06-19) 19 June 2004 (age 20) 1 0 Australia Sydney FC
19 2DF Souttar, HarryHarry Souttar (1998-10-22) 22 October 1998 (age 26) 36 11 England Sheffield United
21 2DF Burgess, CameronCameron Burgess (1995-10-21) 21 October 1995 (age 29) 13 0 England Ipswich Town
2DF Rowles, KyeKye Rowles (1998-06-24) 24 June 1998 (age 26) 24 1 Scotland Heart of Midlothian
7 3MF Caceres, AnthonyAnthony Caceres (1992-09-29) 29 September 1992 (age 32) 2 0 Australia Sydney FC
10 3MF Hrustic, AjdinAjdin Hrustic (1996-07-05) 5 July 1996 (age 28) 31 4 Italy Salernitana
13 3MF O'Neill, AidenAiden O'Neill (1998-07-04) 4 July 1998 (age 26) 17 0 Belgium Standard Liège
14 3MF McGree, RileyRiley McGree (1998-11-02) 2 November 1998 (age 26) 29 1 England Middlesbrough
20 3MF Balard, MaxMax Balard (2000-11-20) 20 November 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Netherlands NAC Breda
22 3MF Irvine, JacksonJackson Irvine (1993-03-07) 7 March 1993 (age 32) 76 11 Germany St. Pauli
3MF Yazbek, PatrickPatrick Yazbek (2002-04-05) 5 April 2002 (age 23) 2 0 United States Nashville SC
6 4FW Boyle, MartinMartin Boyle (1993-04-25) 25 April 1993 (age 32) 30 9 Scotland Hibernian
9 4FW Yengi, KusiniKusini Yengi (1999-01-15) 15 January 1999 (age 26) 11 6 England Portsmouth
11 4FW Borrello, BrandonBrandon Borrello (1995-07-25) 25 July 1995 (age 29) 13 2 Australia Western Sydney Wanderers
15 4FW Duke, MitchMitch Duke (1991-01-18) 18 January 1991 (age 34) 45 12 Japan Machida Zelvia
23 4FW Goodwin, CraigCraig Goodwin (1991-12-16) 16 December 1991 (age 33) 30 7 Saudi Arabia Al-Wehda

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called up in the last 12 months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Thomas, LawrenceLawrence Thomas (1992-05-09) 9 May 1992 (age 33) 1 0 Australia Western Sydney Wanderers v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 11 June 2024
GK Glover, TomTom Glover (1997-12-24) 24 December 1997 (age 27) 0 0 England Middlesbrough v.  Lebanon, 26 March 2024
DF Deng, ThomasThomas Deng (1997-03-20) 20 March 1997 (age 28) 5 0 Japan Albirex Niigata v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
DF Stensness, GianniGianni Stensness (1999-02-07) 7 February 1999 (age 26) 2 0 Norway Viking v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
DF Circati, AlessandroAlessandro Circati (2003-10-10) 10 October 2003 (age 21) 4 0 Italy Parma v.  Indonesia, 10 September 2024
DF Jones, GethinGethin Jones (1995-10-13) 13 October 1995 (age 29) 6 0 England Bolton Wanderers v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 11 June 2024
DF Strain, RyanRyan Strain (1997-04-02) 2 April 1997 (age 28) 6 0 Scotland Dundee United v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 11 June 2024
DF Atkinson, NathanielNathaniel Atkinson (1999-06-13) 13 June 1999 (age 25) 13 0 Australia Melbourne City v.  Lebanon, 26 March 2024
DF King, JoelJoel King (2000-10-30) 30 October 2000 (age 24) 4 0 Australia Sydney FC v.  Lebanon, 26 March 2024
MF Baccus, KeanuKeanu Baccus (1998-06-07) 7 June 1998 (age 26) 21 1 England Mansfield Town v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
MF Brattan, LukeLuke Brattan (1990-03-08) 8 March 1990 (age 35) 1 0 Australia Macarthur FC v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
MF Luongo, MassimoMassimo Luongo (1992-09-25) 25 September 1992 (age 32) 45 6 England Ipswich Town v.  China, 10 October 2024INJ
MF Metcalfe, ConnorConnor Metcalfe (1999-11-05) 5 November 1999 (age 25) 24 0 Germany St. Pauli v.  China, 10 October 2024INJ
MF Devlin, CameronCameron Devlin (1998-06-07) 7 June 1998 (age 26) 4 0 Scotland Heart of Midlothian v.  Indonesia, 10 September 2024
MF Nisbet, JoshJosh Nisbet (1999-06-15) 15 June 1999 (age 25) 3 0 Scotland Ross County v.  Indonesia, 10 September 2024
FW Velupillay, NishanNishan Velupillay (2001-05-07) 7 May 2001 (age 24) 3 1 Australia Melbourne Victory v.  Saudi Arabia, 14 November 2024INJ
FW Arzani, DanielDaniel Arzani (1999-01-04) 4 January 1999 (age 26) 7 1 Australia Melbourne Victory v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
FW Silvera, SamuelSamuel Silvera (2000-10-25) 25 October 2000 (age 24) 7 0 England Portsmouth v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
FW Irankunda, NestoryNestory Irankunda (2006-02-09) 9 February 2006 (age 19) 5 1 Germany Bayern Munich II v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
FW Stamatelopoulos, ApostolosApostolos Stamatelopoulos (1999-04-09) 9 April 1999 (age 26) 1 0 Scotland Motherwell v.  Japan, 15 October 2024
FW Mabil, AwerAwer Mabil (1995-09-15) 15 September 1995 (age 29) 35 9 Switzerland Grasshoppers v.  Indonesia, 10 September 2024
FW Taggart, AdamAdam Taggart (1993-06-02) 2 June 1993 (age 32) 20 7 Australia Perth Glory v.  Indonesia, 10 September 2024
FW Iredale, JohnJohn Iredale (1999-08-01) 1 August 1999 (age 25) 2 1 Denmark AaB v.  Indonesia, 10 September 2024
FW Leckie, MathewMathew Leckie (1991-02-04) 4 February 1991 (age 34) 79 14 Australia Melbourne City v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 11 June 2024
FW Fornaroli, BrunoBruno Fornaroli (1987-09-07) 7 September 1987 (age 37) 7 0 Australia Melbourne Victory v.  Lebanon, 26 March 2024
FW Tilio, MarcoMarco Tilio (2001-08-23) 23 August 2001 (age 23) 9 0 Australia Melbourne City v.  South Korea, 3 February 2024
Notes
  • INJ = Injured

Records and Statistics

Main article: Australia men's national soccer team records and statistics

Australia holds a world record for the largest win in an international match. This happened on 11 April 2001, when Australia beat American Samoa 31–0 in a World Cup qualifier. In that game, Archie Thompson scored 13 goals and David Zdrilic scored 8, both breaking the record for most goals by a player in an international match! Just two days before, Australia had set a new record with a 22–0 win over Tonga.

Most Games Played (Most Caps)

Mark Schwarzer
Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has played the most games for Australia, with 109 appearances.
Rank Name Caps Goals Position Career
1 Mark Schwarzer 109 0 GK 1993–2013
2 Tim Cahill 108 50 FW 2004–2018
3 Lucas Neill 96 1 DF 1996–2013
Mathew Ryan 96 0 GK 2012–present
5 Brett Emerton 95 20 MF 1998–2012
6 Alex Tobin 87 2 DF 1988–1998
7 Mark Bresciano 84 13 MF 2001–2015
Paul Wade 84 10 MF 1986–1996
9 Mark Milligan 80 6 MF 2006–2019
Luke Wilkshire 80 8 DF 2004–2014

Top Goalscorers

2017 Confederation Cup - CHIAUS - Tim Cahill
Tim Cahill is Australia's top scorer with 50 goals.
Rank Name Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Tim Cahill (list) 50 108 0.46 2004–2018
2 Damian Mori 29 45 0.64 1992–2002
3 Archie Thompson 28 54 0.52 2001–2013
4 John Aloisi 27 55 0.49 1993–2008
5 John Kosmina 25 60 0.42 1977–1988
Attila Abonyi 25 61 0.41 1967–1977
7 David Zdrilic 20 31 0.65 1997–2010
Mile Jedinak 20 79 0.25 2008–2018
Brett Emerton 20 95 0.21 1998–2012
10 Graham Arnold 19 56 0.34 1985–1997

Most Clean Sheets (Goalkeepers)

Rank Name Clean sheets Caps Ratio Career
1 Mark Schwarzer 44 109 0.4 1993–2013
2 Mathew Ryan 36 96 0.38 2012–present
3 Zeljko Kalac 24 54 0.44 1992–2006
4 Jeff Olver 13 37 0.35 1985–1989
5 Robert Zabica 12 27 0.44 1990–1994

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Australia at the FIFA World Cup
Australia's FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Pos Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Outcome Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Not member of FIFA Not member of FIFA
Kingdom of Italy 1934
French Third Republic 1938
Fourth Brazilian Republic 1950
Switzerland 1954
Sweden 1958
Chile 1962
England 1966 Did not qualify Play-off 2 0 0 2 2 9
Mexico 1970 Play-off 9 3 5 1 12 8
West Germany 1974 Group stage 14th 3 0 1 2 0 5 Squad Qualified 11 5 5 1 21 10
Argentina 1978 Did not qualify 4th 12 6 2 4 20 11
Spain 1982 2nd 8 4 2 2 22 9
Mexico 1986 Play-off 8 4 3 1 20 4
Italy 1990 2nd 6 2 2 2 11 7
United States 1994 Play-off 10 7 1 2 21 7
France 1998 Play-off 8 6 2 0 34 5
South Korea Japan 2002 Play-off 8 7 0 1 73 4
Germany 2006 Round of 16 16th 4 1 1 2 5 6 Squad Qualified 9 7 1 1 31 5
South Africa 2010 Group stage 21st 3 1 1 1 3 6 Squad Qualified 14 9 3 2 19 4
Brazil 2014 Group stage 30th 3 0 0 3 3 9 Squad Qualified 14 8 4 2 25 12
Russia 2018 Group stage 30th 3 0 1 2 2 5 Squad Qualified 22 14 6 2 51 18
Qatar 2022 Round of 16 11th 4 2 0 2 4 6 Squad Qualified 20 13 4 3 45 12
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Total Round of 16 6/22 20 4 4 12 17 37 — — 161 95 40 26 407 125
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
  • From 1966 to 2006 played as a full member of the OFC
  • Since 2010 played as a full member of the AFC


FIFA Confederations Cup

Main article: Australia at the FIFA Confederations Cup
Australia's FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year Host Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA
1992  Saudi Arabia Did not participate
1995  Saudi Arabia
1997  Saudi Arabia Runners-up 2nd 5 2 1 2 4 8
1999  Mexico Did not qualify
2001  South Korea
 Japan		 Third place 3rd 5 3 0 2 4 2
2003  France Did not qualify
2005  Germany Group stage 8th 3 0 0 3 5 10
2009  South Africa Did not qualify
2013  Brazil
2017  Russia Group stage 6th 3 0 2 1 4 5
Total 0 titles 4/10 16 5 3 8 17 25

AFC Asian Cup

Main article: Australia at the AFC Asian Cup
Australia's AFC Asian Cup record AFC Asian Cup qualification
Year Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1956–2004 Not AFC member
Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam 2007 Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 2 1 7 5 4 3 0 1 7 3
Qatar 2011 Runners-up 2nd 6 4 1 1 13 2 6 3 2 1 6 4
Australia 2015 Champions 1st 6 5 0 1 14 3 Qualified as hosts
United Arab Emirates 2019 Quarter-finals 7th 5 2 1 2 6 4 8 7 0 1 29 4
Qatar 2023 Qualified 8 8 0 0 28 2
Total 1 title 5/18 21 12 4 5 40 14 26 21 2 3 70 13
     Champions       Runners-up       Third place/semi-finalists  

OFC Nations Cup

Main article: Australia at the OFC Nations Cup
Australia's OFC Nations Cup record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA
New Zealand 1973 Did not participate
New Caledonia 1980 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 24 4
1996 Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 14 0
Australia 1998 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 23 3
French Polynesia 2000 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 26 0
New Zealand 2002 Runners-up 2nd 5 4 0 1 23 2
Australia 2004 Champions 1st 7 6 1 0 32 4
2008–present Not OFC member
Total 4 titles 6/10 28 24 2 2 142 13

Honours (Trophies)

See also: Australia national soccer team honours

Major Competitions

Worldwide

Intercontinental

  • AFC-OFC Challenge Cup
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 2001

Continental

Friendly Competitions

  • Australia New Zealand Trans-Tasman Cup
    • Champions (4): 1986, 1988, 1991, 1995
    • Runners-up (2): 1983, 1987
  • Australia New Zealand Soccer Ashes
    • Champions (5): 1933, 1936, 1948, 1954, 2023
    • Runners-up (2): 1922, 1923
  • Indonesia Indonesian Independence Cup
    • Champions (1): 1990
  • South Vietnam South Vietnam Independence Cup
    • Champions (1): 1967
  • Australia Australia Bicentenary Gold Cup
    • Runners-up (1): 1988
  • Singapore Merlion Cup
    • Champions (2): 1982, 1983

Awards

Summary of Trophies

Competition 1 2 3 Total
FIFA Confederations Cup 0 1 1 2
AFC Asian Cup 1 1 0 2
OFC Nations Cup 4 2 0 6
AFC–OFC Challenge Cup 0 1 0 1
Total 5 5 1 11

Images for kids

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Australia para niños

  • Australia women's national soccer team
  • Soccer in Australia
  • List of Australia men's national soccer team captains
  • Australia 31–0 American Samoa
  • Trans-Tasman Cup
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Australia men's national soccer team Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.