What we learned: Van Marwijk's 32-man Socceroos World Cup squad

Australia spoke and for the most part, van Marwijk listened. 

Daniel Arzani, Jamie Maclaren, Alex Gersbach, bolter Fran Karacic and Aleksandar Susnjar all get the nod in a squad that blends youth and experience, with an eye clearly on the future for the Socceroos. 

NK Lokomotiva fullback Karacic is of particular interest, plying his trade in the Croatian first division - Prva HNL - for the fifth-placed side from Zagreb. 

Lokomotiva have a strong youth emphasis, formerly the farm side for Croat giants Dinamo Zagreb, and the 21-year-old Aussie has emerged from nowhere - with no Australian youth caps to his name - to become another bolt from the blue for Aussie fans heading to Russia.

Perhaps most interesting, alongside Maclaren's call-up after five goals in 13 appearances for Scottish high-flyers Hibernian, is the recall of Apostolos Giannou. The Greece-turned-Socceroos striker has notched five goals in 16 appearances for Cypriot club AEK Larnaca, helping them to the Cypriot Cup final - a feat impressive enough to secure van Marwijk gets a decent look at the 28-year-old before the World Cup.

Arzani, however, will be the highlight for many wearing green and gold, with hopes that the Dutchman will take the prodigious 19-year-old to Russia, as much as anything, to halt Iran's potential bid to switch the Melbourne City midfielder's international allegiance.

Besides these notable three inclusions, there are few surprises, as all 26 players are retained from van Marwijk's first two friendlies against Norway and Colombia, the 65-year-old clearly keen to utilise the knowledge they already have of his tactical approach.

Josh Brillante, Dimi Petratos and Andrew Nabbout keep their squad places, Tim Cahill will once again lead the line, at least in spirit. Mitch Langerak will continue to battle with Danny Vukovic for the likely third-spot in van Marwijk's goalkeeping stocks, while Bournemouth's Brad Smith still experiences international and club exile.

It's a squad overwhelming with attacking options - five possible 'striker' options in total - few of which are particularly exciting, as van Marwijk desparately searches for a clinical number nine to lead Australia against their difficult group opponents. 

This squad will be cut down to 26 next week, before the final list is named on June 3, as Socceroos fans eagerly await the squad that van Marwijk will take to Russia to face France, Denmark and Peru in Australia's three World Cup group stage matches.

“I am not a person who changes all the time and we thought for a long time about the first squad that we selected,” van Marwijk said.

“I had a good experience with the 26 players in the ten days that I worked with them, so I had no reason not to nominate them again. But we have since seen other players so there will be a few new names in the squad.

“We have travelled extensively and watched many, many matches because we want to get as much information on as many players as possible.

“I am looking forward to the time in Turkey because there I will be able to work with the players every day, and most of the time it will be two times a day. In those few weeks it must be very clear for the players what we want."