Australia's World Cup squad penpix

PENPIX OF AUSTRALIA'S WORLD CUP SQUAD

(Squad of 32 players will be reduced to final 23 players on June 3)

* DANIEL ARZANI. Age: 19. Club: Melbourne City (Australia). Position: Forward. Caps: 0. Goals: 0. The A-League's young footballer of the year has dazzling skills and innate goal-scoring sense.

* AZIZ BEHICH. Age: 27. Club: Bursaspor (Turkey). Position: Defender. Caps: 21. Goals: 2. Left-back with a happy knack of drifting forward, solidified his spot during the qualification campaign.

* JOSHUA BRILLANTE. Age: 25. Club: Sydney FC (Australia). Position: Defender. Caps: 5. Goals: 0. Sydney's influential commander from central midfield, who can also cover at right-back if required.

* TIM CAHILL. Age: 38. Millwall FC (England). Position: Forward. Caps: 105. Goals: 50. Among the nation's greatest-ever sportsmen, could become the fourth man to score at four consecutive World Cups.

* MILOS DEGENEK. Age: 24. Club: Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan). Position: Defender. Caps: 17. Goals: 0. Contender for right-back but, tough and uncompromising, also adept in a central defensive post.

* ALEX GERSBACH. Age: 21. Club: Racing Club de Lens (France). Position: Defender. Caps: 4. Goals: 0. A left-back candidate with an attack-minded persuasion, who played valuable minutes while on loan in France.

* APOSTOLOS GIANNOU. Age: 28. Club: AEK Larnaca (Cyprus). Caps: 5. Goals: 0. Greek-born Melbourne-raised striker first summoned to the Socceroos camp by former boss Ange Postecoglou.

* JACKSON IRVINE. Age: 25. Club: Hull City (England). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 17. Goals: 2. Smooth-moving, looms as a solid bench option given the squeeze for starting midfield spots.

* MILE JEDINAK. Age: 33. Club: Aston Villa FC (England). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 75. Goals: 18. Stoic captain as a holding midfielder but also used in defence at Aston Villa.

* BRAD JONES. Age: 36. Club: Feyenoord Rotterdam (Netherlands). Position: Goalkeeper. Caps: 5. Goals: 0. Recalled after a four-year absence, withdrew from Australia's 2010 World Cup squad when his son was diagnosed with leukaemia.

* TOMI JURIC. Age: 26. Club: FC Luzern (Switzerland). Position: Forward. Caps: 34. Goals: 8. Strong striker who established himself as the frontman in attack during the qualification campaign.

* MATTHEW JURMAN. Age: 28. Club: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea Republic). Position: Defender. Caps: 4. Goals: 0. Versatile defender who moved to South Korea to press his claims as a starting centre-back.

* FRAN KARACIC. Age: 21. Club: NK Lokomotiva (Croatia). Position: Defender. Caps: 0. Goals: 0. Croatian-born and hasn't set foot in Australia, yet a contender for the problematic right-back position.

* ROBBIE KRUSE. Age: 29. Club: VfL Bochum (Germany). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 62. Goals: 5. Attacking midfielder with dash and dare, often a whipping boy of fans expecting more from his talent.

* MITCHELL LANGERAK. Age: 29. Club: Nagoya Grampus (Japan). Position: Goalkeeper. Caps: 8. Goals: 0. Long-time second-choice behind Mat Ryan, left Europe for Japan in January for more game time.

* MATHEW LECKIE. Age 27. Club: Hertha BSC (Germany). Position: Forward. Caps: 51. Goals: 6. Bustling and speedy, has impressed in the Bundesliga and is a key cog in Australia's starting line-up.

* MASSIMO LUONGO. Age: 25. Club: Queens Park Rangers FC (England). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 34. Goals: 5. Classy customer continuing to blossom after being player of the tournament in the 2015 Asian Cup.

* JAMIE MACLAREN. Age: 24. Club: Hibernian FC (Scotland). Position: Forward. Caps: 5. Goals: 0. Goal poacher recalled late in the qualification campaign, among those fighting for a forward berth.

* JAMES MEREDITH. Age: 30. Club: Millwall FC (England). Position: Defender. Caps: 2. Goals: 0. Experienced and versatile defender who hasn't featured for his country since late in 2015.

* MARK MILLIGAN. Age: 32. Club: Al Ahli SC (Saudi Arabia). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 66. Goals: 6. Competitive leader, made his name in midfield but has been cast into defensive roles by necessity.

* AARON MOOY. Age: 27. Club: Huddersfield Town (England). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 32. Goals: 5. A linchpin in midfield, can play holding or attacking roles and has upper-class foot skills.

* ANDREW NABBOUT. Age: 25. Club: Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan). Position: Forward. Caps: 2. Goals: 0. The winger caught the eye of the new coach in the A-League, then moved to Japan.

* DIMITRI PETRATOS. Age: 25. Club: Newcastle Jets (Australia). Position: Forward. Caps: 1. Goals: 0. Attacking midfielder rewarded for a stellar domestic season, facing a scrap to make the final cut.

* JOSH RISDON. Age: 25. Club: Western Sydney Wanderers (Australia). Position: Defender. Caps: 6. Goals: 0. Another candidate for the right-back role, renowned for his fitness and speed.

* TOM ROGIC. Age: 25. Club: Celtic FC (Scotland). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 35. Goals: 0. The lanky midfielder possesses a genuine touch of magic and a lethal left-foot strike.

* NIKITA RUKAVYTSYA. Age: 30. Club: Maccabi Haifa FC (Israel). Position: Forward. Caps: 18. Goals: 1. Back in the selection frame after making two appearances off the bench at the 2010 World Cup.

* MATHEW RYAN. Age: 26. Club: Brighton & Hove Albion FC (England). Position: Goalkeeper. Caps: 42. Goals: 0. First-choice shot-stopper since the 2014 World Cup, his stocks continue to rise in the EPL.

* TRENT SAINSBURY. Age: 26. Club: Grasshopper Club Zurich (Switzerland). Position: Defender. Caps: 33. Goals: 3. Has made a centre-back posting his own with a string of composed displays.

* ALEKSANDAR SUSNJAR. Age: 22. Club: FK Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic). Position: Defender. Caps: 1. Goals: 0. Emerging centre-back, fast-tracked after an impressive AFC under-23 championship in January.

* JAMES TROISI. Age: 29. Club: Melbourne Victory (Australia). Position: Midfielder. Caps: 37. Goals: 5. Potential game breaker who shines in the A-League, covets meaningful midfield minutes for his country.

* DANIEL VUKOVIC. Age: 33. Club: KRC Genk (Belgium). Position: Goalkeeper. Caps: 1. Goals: 0. Moved to Belgium after more than a decade of distinguished domestic seasons, fighting for a spot as third goalkeeper.

* BAILEY WRIGHT. Age: 25. Club: Bristol City FC (England). Position: Defender. Caps: 22. Goals: 1. A regular since being a shock pick in the 2014 World Cup squad, can play in central defence or fullback.