Two Group Stage eliminations have followed Australia's celebrated progression to the World Cup's last 16 some 12 years ago, and coach van Marwijk has been tasked with taking the Socceroos to new heights.

We continue our series of Expert Views with a look at the Green and Gold's chances at Russia 2018 with a focus on tactics, key players and predictions.

With coach Ange Postecoglou then departing, all eyes will be on replacement Bert van Marwijk to see if he can help the Socceroos to new heights. 

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Overview

It’s been a rocky road to Russia for Australia after Postecoglou sensationally quit has head coach in the aftermath of their dramatic playoff win against Honduras, a win that secured their place at their fourth straight FIFA World Cup.

van Marwijk, the man who guided Saudi Arabia to their qualification, was handed the reins to take Australia to the FIFA World Cup in January and he has been busy in the ensuing six months getting to terms with the players at his disposal and devising a game plan that will serve Australia well in Russia.

Of particular note, was a recent 4-0 win over Czech Republic in Austria, with the Socceroos inflicting the Czechs' biggest ever defeat thanks to goals from Mathew Leckie and Andrew Nabbout.

Van Marwijk was appointed to take charge of the Australia team in late January and van Bommel – who is married to the head coach’s daughter – joined the ex-Netherlands coach when he was appointed to replace Ange Postecoglou in late January.

It is a role the former Bayern Munich and PSV Eindhoven midfielder has filled throughout van Marwijk’s coaching career and Verbeek feels the inclusion of the two-time Bundesliga winner will play a major role in shaping the team for their Group C games against France, Peru and Denmark.

Van Marwijk’s final 23-player selection features three players from the A-League – Daniel Arzani, Dimitri Petratos, and Josh Risdon – as well as two players who have now gained selection for Australia in four consecutive FIFA World Cup squads – Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan (pictured below).

Over the past fortnight 27 players demonstrated their commitment to the Australian national football team by participating in an intense training camp in Antalya, Turkey.

This work culminated in a solid 4-0 international friendly win over Czech Republic in St. Polten, Austria on Friday.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is set to boast the largest contingent of sides representing the Asian continent with Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Islamic Republic of Iran and Australia all set to take to the field against the world's best.

The-AFC.com reached out to experts from each of the five countries, for a representative to give their thoughts on their country's chances and how they see things potentially playing out.

Overview

With three of their six planned pre-World Cup friendlies cancelled, IR Iran’s preparations have been less than ideal. But with an abundance of talent across the squad, Queiroz will still be confident of a strong showing in Russia.

Drawn in the so-called “Group of Death” alongside the last two European champions; Spain and Portugal as well as Morocco, many believe Team Melli have their work cut out for them.

However, a defence that conceded just five goals in their 18 qualifiers’ games and an attack line boasting some of the continent’s finest forwards could cause upsets if the Portuguese coach gets his tactics right.

For football fans around the globe, a team’s kit often serves as an everlasting visual representation of certain memories. Nowhere is this truer than in the FIFA World Cup, where the four-year gap means kits usually change from one edition of the competition to the next.

Some kits have been immortalised due to their unique designs, while others remain forever associated with the team’s success. 

Here are five unforgettable kits from the Continent’s representatives in this year’s World Cup. View them below and then pick your favourite .