Australia and the Middle Eastern country will start their tournaments on Sunday in Group B.

For Borklemans, it brings him up against an opponent he knows well.

The former fullback, who had a decorated 25-year playing career in his native Belgium, has been coaching for the past eight years.

He started off managing Dender EH in 2010, before joining the staff of Marc Wilmots with the Belgian national team.

Four years ago he was an assistant to Wilmots when the Red Devils easily defeated Ange Posetcoglou's Socceroos 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade De Sclessin.

In his playing days at Club Brugge in the late 1980s and early 90s. Borkelmans counted the likes of Frank Farina and Paul Okon as teammates.

He also played against a mullet-haired striker, by the name of Graham Arnold, who was on the books of Leige and Charleroi.

"Australia is a team that I like," Borkelmans told FTBL.

"I know a lot of players from Australia. I know the coach very well as well, I played against him in Belgium. This is a team has a lot of experience – the World Cup, two times in the Asian Cup.

"I know the mentality of Australians is very good. They are strong, they are physically good, mentally good and they believe in their country."