Not only is Australia in a tougher group this time around - after finishing ahead of Croatia and Japan to join Brazil in qualifying from its group in 2006 - given it has to face three-time winner Germany as well as highly-rated Serbia and one of Africa's strongest teams Ghana, but according to Kewell the Socceroos can also no longer count on the element of surprise.

"We surprised a lot of teams at the last World Cup but obviously it's difficult the second time around," he said on the eve of Australia's opening match against Germany in Durban on Sunday.

"A lot more people are wary of the players we have now and everyone knows our players individually.

"So I am quite sure a lot more teams are focused in on what we are capable of doing and it's going to be very difficult for us."

Kewell said the order of the group games had also done the Socceroos no favours considering it has to come up against group favourite Germany in the opening match.

"I think it's important to get off to a flier at the World Cup to get three points first-up (as Australia did four years ago by beating Japan) but let's face it we have probably hit the hardest team in the World Cup to come up against first off the bat.

"It will be a tough game and we all know what Germany is capable of doing at major tournaments but at the end of the day it's 11 men versus 11 men.

"But at a World Cup anything can happen and it's country versus country now and that is where you have got to step up and show what you are worth."