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Australia secured World Cup qualification for the fifth consecutive tournament with a dramatic penalty shootout win against Peru in June to book their ticket to Qatar.
It had been a rollercoaster qualification campaign for a Socceroos outfit adapting to life after the retirement of long-time stars such as Tim Cahill following the 2018 World Cup.
Coach Graham Arnold has looked to new stars such as Martin Boyle, Ajdin Hrustic and Awer Mabil to drive the attack and while the results have not always been there for Australia, Cahill believes the qualities shown by the team are evidence they have what it takes.
“It wasn’t the best way to qualify but they had an opportunity and they threw everything forward and made the most of it,” Cahill said.
“There was a lot against the team going into the final qualifiers but the biggest thing for me is they didn’t let all that outside noise bother them and just got on with the job,” Cahill said.”
“To see the team qualify and to play a part makes me very proud.”
While comparisons have been made with Socceroos teams of the past amid the current side’s struggles, Cahill believes it is time to put those concerns to the side.
"The game's growth must be about the future,” he said.
“We must forget what has happened and embrace what we have now.
“It is a new generation of players and a different feel to the team. While the results haven’t quite been there just yet, it is an incredible achievement to be one of the 32 teams contesting the World Cup finals. “
The new talent was on display on Thursday night as Mabil scored the winner in Australia's clash against New Zealand in Brisbane with a stunning long-range strike to secure a 1-0 win.
Arnold will get one final chance to put his players through their paces before naming his World Cup squad when they head to Auckland for a second match against the Kiwis on Sunday.
Australia's first World Cup clash is against France on November 23, before matches against other Group D rivals Tunisia on November 26 and Denmark on December 1.
