But on numbers alone, they are in the same position where they would have started previous tournaments - the tournament's final 32.
The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams means the knockout phase started with 32 teams, rather than 16.
But it won't phase the Australians ahead of facing Egypt at Dallas Stadium on Friday (4am Saturday AEST).
"There's a round of 32 now, so it's an extra step, but that extra step can be sweet, can't it?" playmaker Ajdin Hrustic, a member of the 2022 squad that reached the round of 16, said.
"Do something special against Egypt, and then we'll see who's going to be the next opponent and just take it from there."
Hrustic, a part of the team that enjoyed a golden run in Qatar, has long believed this group of Socceroos can be the first to win a knockout game.
That belief hasn't wavered.
"It most likely will happen one day, and it can be us, right?" Hrustic said ahead of relocating to Dallas.
"If you have your day on that day, you go further, the next game it's your day again.
"You've got to create it, you've got to make it happen. It's not going to get gifted to you.
"So we're definitely going to fight for it, and we'll prepare the best we can."
There are eight players aged 23 or under in Australia's squad.
But Hrustic, 29, doesn't expect them to be overwhelmed by the occasion.
"Sometimes it's good to be young, right? Because you don't think, you just go for it," Hrustic said.
"I was once young, and I remember the feelings I used to have.
"The boys are doing really well, they're training well, they're preparing well and they're stepping up. I'm proud of all of them."
The Socceroos scored twice against Turkey but were held goalless by the United States and Paraguay.
Hrustic was confident Australia could find space, especially when Egypt press, to exploit but insists keeping a clean sheet is the most important thing to do.
"As a creative kind of player, I still think that zero (goals conceded) is the most important," he said.
"Because you will get a chance, right, and it's about taking that chance.
"And in the knockout stages you've got to be sharp, you've got to be ready and you've got to make sure.
"I always say 'if you don't concede, you won't lose'. So the defenders will do their part, we'll help - and then when we can, we'll try to step up."
If the Socceroos can seize their moment, the Melburnian knows there will be scenes back home - especially at Federation Square in the early hours of Saturday morning.
He quipped: "They'll leave the club at 3am and prepare for the game at 4am."
9°C