Ronnie Rates 'Roos
Despite the fact that Australia are preparing for only their first World Cup in 32 years, Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho is not taking the Group F opponents lightly -especially as they have a certain Mr Guus Hiddink on board.
"Even though Australia looks a formidable team and they are our key group rivals, I have to admit that I'm fascinated by them from a purely personal point of view," the recent UEFA Champions League winner told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"Apart from appointing one of the top four or five coaches in the world, what Australia did when they signed Hiddink was drag world attention onto themselves. Anyone with an interest in soccer understands that Hiddink is a magnificent achiever and someone whose names stand for perpetual success. So I think that focused people's attention, all around the world, on how Australia might do in qualifying.
The Barcelona star realises that the World Champions may have a rival in the affections of neutral fans across the globe.
"It seems to me that Australia has become an easy team for the neutrals to support. Everyone I speak to seems to have a good word for Australia in a sporting sense and lots of decent judges have identified them as a team which could make a surprising impact in Germany.
Unlike Ronaldo who claimed never to have heard of Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, the World Player of the Year will not be underestimating the Socceroos.
"I can't claim to know the first-choice team player by player, yet, but I know about the majority of top players and I'm aware that most of Australia's key men play in leagues scattered all around the world.
"Given the difficulties we in Brazil face with that same problem and travelling to and from qualifying matches or friendlies, I do find it remarkable that a slightly smaller soccer nation like Australia can achieve all that they have done."
He places a good deal of credit for that at the feet of one man - Guus Hiddink.
"Literally everywhere he's gone, Valencia, Real Madrid, PSV, Korea, Australia, Hiddink has been a byword for popular, winning football and I respect that."
"Not many coaches get the kind of phone calls he's been getting from FC Barcelona, from Real Madrid, from Roman Abramovich and from the English FA. He's in demand because he's a coach who achieves massive success, who has won the Champions League and who took Korea to the brink of the World Cup final four years ago.
"I hope that when we play Australia we can break this habit of his and defeat them but both before and after our game in Munich I'll be watching Hiddink's team with interest
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