Stange will lead Syria against Palestine, Jordan and Australia at the tournament in the UAE.

With the Socceroos favoured by many to top Group B, the Qasioun Eagles will be out to take second spot and reach the knockout stages.

Stange wants to bring some happiness to the war-ravaged country through the exploits of the national team.

"I saw war for the first time when I was coaching in Iraq and I saw people dying and now it's a similar situation in Syria and you are depressed if you see these destroyed places, like Homs and Aleppo," he told Reuters.

"You can't say one word when you see that. You think about how many generations it will take to come back to normal life. Football has a chance.

"It's not the most important thing now in Syria and there are other things that are more important, but football is a very small area where we are able to give people a smile."