Cahill, who was sent off in Australia's World Cup opener in Durban, a match the Socceroos lost 4-0, said Ozil was the difference between the two teams and that he could go on to be the star of this World Cup.

"We tried to play the offside a few times and I think the devastating factor was that Ozil, the No.8," Cahill said.

"He just seemed to devastate us in the way he opened things up."

While much had been said about Ozil in the build-up, his World Cup debut was one of the most memorable in recent World Cup history.

While the game itself will linger long in Cahill's mind for all the wrong reasons after his red card, he also felt he witnessed the emergence of a future champion.

"Credit to the youngster, he's a great player and obviously he is going to go great things for the team," he said.

"I watched a lot of videos of him, he hasn't been finishing, but the way he opens up defences, it's a credit to him. He's a great player and someone that could go very far."

Werder Bremen's Ozil has been linked to both Arsenal and Manchester City, and his performance in Durban will do his transfer prospects no harm whatsoever.

However, the 21-year-old insists he is concentrating on Germany for the time being.

"I am under contract until 2011, but all that interests me now is the World Cup because as a team we have goals," Ozil said. "That is all that matters.

"Our dream is to win the title. That is why we are here."