The Socceroos have a tough but realistic chance of making it out of Group C at the 2018 World Cup, coming up against France, Denmark and Peru in Russia.
Australia haven’t been able to reach the knockout stages at the World Cup since 2006 in Germany, where they went down in controversial fashion to eventual champions Italy.
It’s always going to be an uphill battle for the Socceroos on the world’s biggest stage, but with Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy leading the team around in midfield - and the inclusion of the youngest player in Russia - talented teenage winger Daniel Arzani - Australia have some speed and talent they perhaps didn’t have at the last two competitions.
France are of course the huge favourites to qualify top of Group C, but they have been notorious slow starters over the years, but with such a star-studded squad, it’s hard to see them slipping up again and missing the knockout rounds.
Denmark and Peru will thus have to battle with Australia for the second and final knockout spot. Denmark are returning to the World Cup after missing out in 2014, while Peru are making their first appearance in the competition since 1982 after impressing in the stacked South American qualifying campaign.
Australia aren’t rated amongst the bookmakers to make it out the group, with France overwhelming favourites, followed by Denmark and Peru (and then the Socceroos)!
Group C Odds
Winner: Frane $1.30, Denmark $4.33, Peru $9.50, Australia $18
To qualify: France $1.04, Denmark $1.53, Peru $2.80, Australia $4.50
Prediction
Group C Fixtures
Group C Squads
| | |
Goalkeepers | Hugo Lloris | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Steve Mandanda | Marseille |
| Alphonse Areola | Paris St Germain |
Defenders | Lucas Hernandez | Atletico Madrid |
| Presnel Kimpembe | Paris St Germain |
| Benjamin Mendy | Manchester City |
| Benjamin Pavard | Stuttgart |
| Adil Rami | Marseille |
| Djibril Sidibe | Monaco |
| Samuel Umtiti | Barcelona |
| Raphael Varane | Real Madrid |
Midfielders | N'Golo Kante | Chelsea |
| Blaise Matuidi | Juventus |
| Steven N'Zonzi | Sevilla |
| Paul Pogba | Manchester United |
| Corentin Tolisso | Bayern Munich |
Forwards | Ousmane Dembele | Barcelona |
| Nabil Fekir | Lyon |
| Olivier Giroud | Chelsea |
| Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid |
| Thomas Lemar | Monaco |
| Kylian Mbappe | Paris St Germain |
| Florian Thauvin | Marseille
|
| | |
Goalkeepers | Kasper Schmeichel | Leicester City |
| Frederik Ronnow | Brondby |
| Jonas Lossl | Huddersfield Town |
Defenders | Simon Kjaer | Sevilla |
| Mathias Jorgensen | Huddersfield Town |
| Andreas Christensen | Chelsea |
| Henrik Dalsgaard | Brentford |
| Jannik Vestergaard | Borussia Monchengladbach |
| Jens Stryger Larsen | Udinese |
| Jonas Knudsen | Ipswich Town |
Midfielders | Christian Eriksen | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Lasse Schone | Ajax |
| Michael Krohn-Dehli | Deportivo La Coruna |
| Thomas Delaney | Werder Bremen |
| William Kvist | FC Copenhagen |
| Lukas Lerager | Bordeaux |
Forwards | Andreas Cornelius | Atalanta |
| Kasper Dolberg | Ajax |
| Martin Braithwaite | Bordeaux |
| Nicolai Jorgensen | Feyenoord |
| Pione Sisto | Celta Vigo
|
| Viktor Fischer | FC Copenhagen |
| Yussuf Poulsen | RB Leipzig |
| | |
Goalkeepers | Pedro Gallese | Veracruz |
| Carlos Caceda | Veracruz |
| Jose Carvallo | UTC |
Defenders | Aldo Corzo | Universitario |
| Luis Advincula | Lobos BUAP |
| Christian Ramos | Veracruz |
| Miguel Araujo | Alianza Lima |
| Alberto Rodriguez | Junior |
| Anderson Santamaria | Puebla |
| Miguel Trauco | Flamengo |
| Nilson Loyola | Melgar |
Midfielders | Renato Tapia | Feyenoord |
| Pedro Aquino | Lobos BUAP |
| Yoshimar Yotun | Orlando City |
| Paolo Hurtado | Vitoria de Guimaraes |
| Christian Cueva | Sao Paulo |
| Edison Flores | Aalborg |
| Andy Polo | Portland Timbers |
| Wilder Cartagena | Veracruz |
Forwards | Andre Carrillo | Watford |
| Raul Ruidiaz | Morelia |
| Jefferson Farfan | Lokomotiv Moscow |
| Paolo Guerrero | Flamengo
|
| | |
Goalkeepers | Brad Jones | Feyenoord |
| Mat Ryan | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Danny Vukovic | Genk |
Defenders | Aziz Behich | Bursaspor |
| Milos Degenek | Yokohama F. Marinos |
| Matthew Jurman | Suwon Samsung Blue Wings |
| James Meredith | Millwall |
| Josh Risdon | Western Sydney |
| Trent Sainsbury | Grasshopper Zurich |
Midfielders | Jackson Irvine | Hull City |
| Mile Jedinak | Aston Villa |
| Robbie Kruse | VfL Bochum |
| Massimo Luongo | Queens Park Rangers |
| Mark Milligan | Al-Ahli |
| Aaron Mooy | Huddersfield Town |
| Tom Rogic | Celtic |
| Tim Cahill | Millwall |
Forwards | Daniel Arzani | Melbourne City |
| Tomi Juric | Luzern |
| Mathew Leckie | Hertha Berlin |
| Andrew Nabbout | Urawa Red Diamonds |
| Dimitri Petratos | Newcastle Jets |
| Jamie Maclaren | Hibernian
|