The 66 year-old wants his side to play with confidence in Russia, and that starts with their opening match against pre-tournament favourites France.

"Creativity, and the guts to be yourself," Van Marwijk said when asked which elements of Dutch football he has tried to instil in the Socceroos.

"That's not easy, in practice. When you play an amateur team, it’s easy. When you have to play Brazil or France, it's difficult to be yourself, but that is the nature of the Dutch." he added.

That attitude was certainly evident in Daniel Arzani and the way the teenager impacted Saturday night's 2-1 win over Hungary during his late cameo.

Now it's time for the big stage.

The Netherlands made a profound impact on the landscape of international football in the 1970s, when Van Marwijk was starting out as a professional player.

The fast-tempo, pass-and-move style that became known as 'Total Football' won plaudits most notably for both the Ajax side that won three consecutive European Cups between 1971 and 1973, and also the national team, which reached the final of the 1974 World Cup.

Central to the success of Total Football was to instil confidence in every player on the field, both with regards to the system they play, and in their own ability.


It left a lasting mark in the Netherlands, with bold, attacking football becoming a hallmark of subsequent generations of the national team.

Van Marwijk led the Oranje all the way to the final of the 2010 World Cup, but they lost 2-1 to Spain in extra time and were criticised for their uncharacteristic and abrasive approach during the match.

A defining image from that match is Mark Van Bommel's central midfield partner Nigel De Jong planting an outrageously high kick into the stomach of Xabi Alonso, while defender John Heitinga was sent off in extra time.

"We were not ourselves in 2010, but usually we are," said Van Marwijk. "We’re a small country so we try to make a difference by being clever and creative."

The Socceroos will require similar a similar degree of cunning to make it through Group C.