Caltex Socceroos World Cup group opponent info: Peru

The Caltex Socceroos will be aiming to finish above Peru in Group C after being drawn alongside the South American nation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Here's what you need to know about the side that dramatically beat New Zealand to book the last available place in Russia.

PERU (Pot 2)

  • How they qualified: Winner of the CONMEBOL-OFC Zone play-off (over New Zealand)
  • Participations including 2018: 5 (FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists once)
  • Coach: Ricardo Gareca (former Argentina international, widely travelled coach in Americas) 
  • Three key players: Jefferson Farfan (Lokomotiv Moscow), Renato Tapia (Feyenoord), Paolo Guerrero (Flamengo)
Jefferson Farfan
National team legend Jefferson Farfan scored against the All Whites.
  • One of the original participants in 1930, Peru have qualified for their fifth World Cup after beating New Zealand in the play-offs. It’s their first appearance since 1982, which is the biggest gap of years (36) between participations at the World Cup for any of the 32 teams qualified for the 2018 tournament.
  • Peru’s only previous World Cup outside the Americas was in 1982 in Spain where they didn’t go past the first round (D2 L1). In fact, they are winless in their last six games at the World Cup (D2 L4), with their last win in the tournament coming nearly 40 years ago, on 11th June 1978 against Iran (4-1).
Ricardo Gareca
Peru are coach by experienced Argentine Ricardo Gareca.
  • Peru have faced the eventual World Cup winner in each of their four previous World Cup appearances (Uruguay in 1930, Brazil in 1970, Argentina in 1978, Italy in 1982).
  • Teófilo Cubillas has scored 10 and assisted two of Peru’s 19 goals at the World Cup (63%). 
  • This will be Ricardo Gareca’s first World Cup as manager. He has taken Peru to the knockout stages of both previous major tournaments (Copa America semi-finals in 2015, quarter-finals in 2016).

For ticket information, head to FIFA's website - www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/index