Arzani on playing in the World Cup: "Jesus Christ, this is pretty cool...'

As he prepared to come on against France at the World Cup, just one thought went through Daniel Arzani's mind: "Jesus Christ - this is pretty cool!"

Arzani made his competitive debut for Australia in the game, finally locking him into the green and gold over Iran where he was born.

But rather than get flustered by the occasion, he said he was amazed how it all seemed normal.

"The extraordinary kind of becomes the ordinary," he said in Kazan today. "Obviously when I was warming up on the sideline, I was really excited and and also nervous at the same time.

"I was so happy to get out there, it was really special."

SEE THE MOMENT ARZANI FEARED HE'D BROKEN CAHILL!

Despite facing down some of the greatest names in world football, Arzani said he was surprised how easily he took it in his stride.

"It's definitely surreal," he admitted. "It kind of hits you sometimes when you realise.

"Just walking out onto the park and Antoine Griezmann's over there, Pogba's over there... it kind of loses its glamour a little bit because you're kind of just used to it."

But he still has to pinch himself to be playing alongside Tim Cahill.

"It's amazing," he added. "Sometimes you forget that he is a Premier League legend. A lot of the players in the team are club legends."

And from Kazan, Russia base for the Socceroos, the latest podcast from 442 FM...