If the Netherlands can put five past the world champions, what hope Australia? Granted, it will require something special for the Socceroos to extend their unbeaten run against the Dutch but – strange as it sounds – don’t rule it out.

The Oranje have spent the past couple of days bathing in the glory of their spectacular win against Spain, and rightly so. It was as clinical as it was unexpected. A triumph of tactics for Louis van Gaal and a coronation of sorts for Arjen Robben, champing at the bit to put himself in the pantheon after an injury-interrupted season with Bayern Munich.

Diving force: Robin van Persie heads home in the Netherlands' demolition of Spain. Credit:AP

Robben has always been a good player, now he can become a great one. His second goal was the complete package – speed to get past Sergio Ramos despite conceding a five-metre head start, strength to pivot and work the ball onto his left foot, and composure to stroke it into what became an empty net.

In the end it was five, but it could have been seven or eight. Ominous not just for Australia, but for the World Cup as a whole. A team that has lost three World Cup finals arrived in Brazil with less than the usual fanfare and ructions over van Gaal’s controversial decision to tinker with the time-honoured 4-3-3 formation. Vindication came in Salvador for both coach and players, and then some.