32 Teams in 32 Days: Australia

Each day between May 10 and the day before the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on June 11, FoxSoccer.com analyst Jamie Trecker will preview each of the 32 teams playing in South Africa and tell you everything you need to know about each nation represented at the world's greatest sporting event.

Country: Australia
Nickname: The Socceroos

Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James Cook took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.

The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II.

In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest-growing economies during the 1990's, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980's. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

Soccer-wise, Australia has made big strides to catch up with the other major national pastimes (in no order: rugby, Aussie Rules, cricket, beer). The Football Federation Australia (FFA) got a major and much-needed overhaul in 2003 that led directly to the founding of the A-League in 2004. Then, the FFA took the plunge and jumped from the extremely weak Oceanic Federation to the bigger, more powerful Asian Confederation in 2006.

It worked: the Aussies cruised through qualifying and the A-League has proven popular.

PAST WORLD CUP SUCCESS: This is the third time Australia has progressed to the World Cup finals. They impressed in 2006 despite going out in the knockout stage on what many judged to be a dubious penalty awarded to eventual champions Italy. Their only previous experience had been in West Germany in 1974, where they failed to score a single goal, losing to both East and West Germany and drawing 0-0 with Chile.

REGIONAL SUCCESS: They ruled the old OFC. Their best showing in AFC tournaments was as quarterfinalists in the 2007 Asian Cup. They took third in the 2001 Confederations Cup.

LEAGUE OVERVIEW: The A-League is one of the AFC's strongest leagues. An 11-team competition, with one club located in New Zealand, Sydney FC are current champions. The new season kicks off post-World Cup this July. Unfortunately, attendance remains a problem. The A-League averages just under 10,000 fans a match, a sharp drop from just two years ago (in contrast, the AFL draws about 36,000 a match).

MANAGER: Pim Verbeek. The well-traveled Dutchman has lots of experience, having assisted Guus Hiddink in his tenures with the Aussies and South Korea (2002) and having managed eight clubs in both his native Holland and Asian rival Japan. He also held the South Korea coaching job just prior to signing on with the Socceroos, helping that team to third place at the 2007 Asian Cup. He has been relentless in his criticism of the A-League and is likely to rely on as many internationally-based players as possible.

KEY PLAYERS: They've got some good ones. 'Keeper Mark Schwarzer has had a great season with Fulham, helping lead the club to the Europa League final. Midfield is solid, with Brett Emerton, Vince Grella (both Blackburn) and Tim Cahill (Everton) all playing well for club and country. Mark Bresciano (Palermo) is showing wear and tear, but he'll be out there as well. Australia's problem is on offense. Simply put, they don't have one. Joshua Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus Eight) is the hope for the future, but he is not reliable on the ball; Harry Kewell (Galatasaray) is, bluntly, a washout. Verbeek has tried out 11 different guys up top over the past year, and only Kennedy's come close to getting the job done.

FIFA RANKINGS: 20th. That's probably fair. Highest was 14th (last year) and lowest was 92nd (2000)

FIRST ROUND OPPONENTS: Germany, Ghana, Serbia

HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST GERMANY: As East and West Germany, they whipped the Aussies twice at the 1974 World Cup. More recently, Germany held off the Aussies at the 2005 Confederations Cup 4-3.

HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST GHANA: The Aussies have a great record against Ghana, with four wins and a draw in six meetings over the years (4-1-1). They have never met in meaningful competition, however, and all but two of the games have been staged on Aussie soil. Most recently, Australia edged Ghana 1-0 in Sydney in 2008. In London two years prior, the Black Stars played them to a 1-1 draw.

HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST SERBIA: They have never met at the senior level. They've met twice in the Olympics, with the Aussies winning and drawing the Serbs. The most recent match was in Shanghai during the Beijing Games, a 1-1 draw.

HOW THEY QUALIFIED: With ease. Australia conceded only one goal and was unbeaten.

PERCENTAGE CHANCE TO PROGRESS: 25%. The Australians are one of four good teams in one of the two so-called "Groups of Death." You have to think Germany and Ghana are the favorites because of the expected African boost, and the fact that the Aussies have such trouble finding the frame.

TO WATCH: Can they score goals against quality competition?

ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough), Adam Federici (Reading)

Defenders: Craig Moore (No Club), Lucas Neill (Galatasaray), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel), David Carney (FC Twente), Mark Milligan (JEF United), Jade North (Tromso), Michael Beauchamp (Al-Jazira), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough)

Midfielders: Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Tim Cahill (Everton), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Vince Grella (Blackburn), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo), Mile Jedinak (Antalyaspor), Richard Garcia (Hull), Nicky Carle (Crystal Palace), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht), James Holland (AZ Alkmaar)

Forwards: Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus), Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough), Dario Vidosic (FC Nuremberg), Nikita Rukavytsya (FC Twente)

TOMORROW'S TEAM: Denmark