Guus Hiddink believes five-times champions Brazil will have a fight on their hands against World Cup tyros Australia in their group match in Munich next month.
The leading Dutch coach is preparing his Australian squad for the country's first tilt at the world football showpiece in 32 years, but says the Socceroos won't be intimidated by the flamboyant South Americans.
Australia begin their build-up to next month's World Cup finals with a friendly against European champions Greece here on Thursday before heading to the Netherlands for a training camp next week.
Hiddink, who has taken South Korea and the Netherlands to the last four in the two previous World Cups, believes Australia can surprise their more-fancied rivals with the strength of their desire and competitive spirit.
"Brazil is the favourite, and everyone expects Brazil to win all three games" in the group phase, he told reporters Monday. "The three other teams - Croatia, Japan and Australia - I think are well matched.
"We are very happy to be on the world stage with these players after such a long time.
"But I know them now enough to know they are also very ambitious to go into the second round, which means you have to make a very good first step.
"We respect Japan but we know our capacity. I can assure you that the Australian team is very competitive."
Hiddink, who is to take charge of Russia after the World Cup, said that if the Socceroos stuck to the courage of their convictions, they could match up with the Brazilians in Munich on June 18.
"They want to have the fight, they want to have the struggle, they want to go for it," he said.
"My players respect the Brazilian players a lot and also their way of playing, but this is not a team which is easily intimidated.
"We like to make a big game of this. You know they have their advantage of experience and quality, but playing against Australia, I think, is not easy."
Hiddink said this week's game with Greece was an important first step to gauge how the team was coming together three weeks out from their opening World Cup game with Japan in Kaiserslautern.
"It's a farewell game (for Australian fans). It means a nice atmosphere and party, but it is also the first step," he said.
"We are not yet game fit, we have to practise a lot, but it's a serious test for me to see in the short term how the team is doing.
"It's not just a fun game, because nowadays internationally there are no friendly games anymore. We have to go almost full out."
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