The name 'Socceroos' was coined for the team by an Australian journalist named Tony Horstead, while he was covering their goodwill tour of South Vietnam in 1967.

Australia are the only team to qualify for a World Cup finals by winning a penalty shoot-out, beating Uruguay 4-2 from the spot to reach the 2006 tournament.

In 2002 World Cup qualifying, Australia beat American Samoa 31-0, setting a world record for the biggest margin of victory in an international match. Archie Thompson scored an individual record 13 goals.