In 2011, Fairfax Media's chief soccer writer Mike Cockerill wrote: ''The campaign to bring back white socks for the national team starts here.''

After a long campaign, and a 21-year absence, they are set to reappear - just in time for the 2014 World Cup.

Digitally altered image.

Fairfax Media understands the Socceroos will revert to a classic design for the Brazil tournament that bears a striking resemblance to the uniform worn by the national team during the qualifying campaign for the 1974 World Cup. The new kit is expected to be released soon by Football Federation Australia and will likely be a gold jersey with a large, green, retro-style collar and trimming, green shorts, and the much-missed white socks.

It will be a mark of respect to the origins of the Australian national team, which wore a uniform of gold jersey, green shorts and white socks from its first World Cup qualifying campaign in 1965.

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Despite design variations - notably the infamous ''vomit'' jersey of 1992-93 - the combination did not waver until the 1994 qualifying competition, when the white socks were ditched after a change of kit manufacturer.

Adidas inexplicably changed the uniform to gold socks, signalling a departure from tradition. The FFA has made large strides to acknowledge the history of the game in Australia, and it's understood it will bring back the uniform for the World Cup as part of that process.