In 1990, Buster Douglas, an American heavyweight with a mixed bag of a career, was set to fight one of the greatest athletes in the history of sport, Mike Tyson.

All signs, all history, all analysis, all logic pointed in one direction.

But then they stepped into the ring.

This morning, the Socceroos will face one of the Mike Tysons of this World Cup when they take the field against two-time winners, current Copa America champions, and world number three Argentina in the round of 16.

They are the absolute underdogs, and almost everybody expects them to lose.

The problem for Argentina, though, is this is exactly what Arnold and his team want. They want to be written off, to be doubted, to have the odds stacked against them.