OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE OF AUSTRALIA AT THE 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 0

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TEAM HISTORY
Despite the defeats, the Socceroos earned the respect
of the football world – East Germany were the only
team to defeat Champions West Germany at the cup.
Australia gained its first World Cup point with a tight 0-
0 draw in its final 1974 match, against Chile.
32 years of FIFA World Cup wilderness
However, after reaching the FIFA World Cup for the first
time, qualification proved to be one nightmare after
another over the following three decades, with internal
challenges affecting preparation, arduous qualifying
paths and pure bad luck resulting in failure after failure.
At the national level, Australia went through some
unsettled years after the glory of 1974. While the
Socceroos (barely) took out the Oceania sub-group of the
1978 FIFA World Cup qualifying phase, fourth place in the
subsequent Asian phase – where only first-placed Iran
would qualify – made West Germany seem so long ago.
In 1982, a home loss to New Zealand early in the
Asia/Oceania group campaign effectively ended
Australia's chances. Zone winners New Zealand
eventually qualified for their first FIFA World Cup.
The first phase of the attempt to reach the 1986 FIFA
World Cup saw Australia take out the Oceania group,
which included Israel. It was then a play-off against
UEFA Group Seven runners-up Scotland. After the first
leg in Glasgow ended 2-0 to the Scots, a fighting and
attacking display by the Socceroos in the return fixture
somehow ended 0-0. Australia had failed again.
With Frank Arok at the helm, the Australian football
team matured throughout the mid to late 1980s, a
period which included draws against European
powerhouses England and Czechoslovakia, and a
stunning 4-1 win over reigning world champions
Argentina in 1988. This year also saw the national team
qualify for the Olympic Games (the last Olympics with
no age restrictions for male football teams) where a 1-
0 win over Yugoslavia made the world take notice.
The 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign therefore started
with renewed optimism. However it was perhaps an
over-confident Australian team which lost the away leg
against New Zealand, which ultimately led to second
place in the Oceania/Israel group. Group winners Israel
progressed to the next stage.
By now a host of Australian players were plying their
trade overseas, some rather successfully, and many
believed this would eventually take Australian football to
another level. The 1994 World Cup campaign saw
Australia face two long-distance play-offs to get through,
after winning all their Oceania qualifiers. The Socceroos
successfully negotiated Canada – albeit only after
penalties – which led to a final qualifying confrontation
against Argentina. With the comeback of Diego
Maradona it seemed the whole world was watching as
Australia drew the first (home) leg, but ultimately lost
the play-off by one goal, an unlucky own goal in Buenos
Aires highlighting the Socceroo curse.
Another clearly dominant performance by Australia in
the Oceania stages meant 'only' having to defeat the
fourth-placed Asian team to qualify for the 1998 FIFA
World Cup. Inspired by a goal from 19 year old Harry
Kewell, a Australia drew the first leg against Iran 1-1
away. And at 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go in the
second leg, the Socceroos were surely on their way to
the World Cup. But then, in what must be the most
demoralising 20 minutes in Australian sporting history,
Iran showed up the Aussie curse to draw and take out
the tie on away goals. Despite not losing a match in the
1998 campaign, Australia missed out yet again.
Despite the agony of seeing their dreams cruelly taken
away, somehow the Socceroos bounced back with a
stellar performance at the 1997 FIFA Confederations
Cup, played immediately following the Iran games.
With wins over Mexico and Uruguay, Australia reached
the final where, following Mark Viduka’s early send-off,
defeat beckoned against a rampaging Brazilian side.
After failing to qualify for the 1999 FIFA Confederations
Cup Australia returned to the Confederations Cup in
2001. Here the green and gold again proved it could
match it with the world’s best, defeating reigning
world champions France and perennial favourites
Brazil on their way to finishing third in the prestigious
intercontinental tournament.
These impressive results gave Australia confidence for
the final leg of the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying
campaign. Earlier in the process, the Socceroos had
broken the world record for the biggest victory in a
World Cup match with a 31-0 win over American
Samoa. After then easily accounting for New Zealand,
Australia was left with a difficult play-off against
Uruguay. The curse of the Socceroos appeared to have
lifted with victory in the first (home) leg; but the
second leg was a different story, where the Socceroos
were eventually overwhelmed by the Uruguayans.
Australia’s next assignment was qualification for the 2003
FIFA Confederations Cup. The anticipated stroll through
the Oceania qualifying tournament was supposed to be
some respite from the gloom of the Uruguay loss. But it
wasn't to be - with Australia losing to New Zealand in the
Oceania Nations Cup final. In hindsight, the loss was an
apt result for football in Australia in 2002, as it echoed the
financial woes and administrative difficulties faced by the
national body at the time. Combined with the stark reality
of seven consecutive unsuccessful World Cup campaigns
and a slowly decaying domestic league, Australian football
was in the doldrums.
OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE OF AUSTRALIA AT THE 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 77