Australia's Dario Vidosic, waiting in the wings should Brett Emerton miss their World Cup opener with injury, rates Germany's young breed as capable of firing a new generation of international stars.

Australia face a testing opener in Group D against the three-time World Cup champions in Durban.

Vidosic, who is the only Socceroo who plays in Germany's Bundesliga, knows first hand what is coming through for the transitional German team.

Vidosic, who plays for Nuremberg, has impressed in his few opportunities in Australia's three warmup games and is short-listed should the experienced Emerton not fully recover from a calf muscle injury.

The Blackburn Rovers right-sided attacker trained with the Australian squad late on Tuesday and is expected to make his 73rd international appearance against the Germans.

Vidosic, 23, who has scored once in his six appearances, reckons Germany will miss the leadership of sidelined skipper Michael Ballack, but is expecting the emerging players to make their mark.

"Their younger players are definitely doing particularly well and I think Mesut Ozil is a good chance to start, playing for Werder Bremen and there's some other ones as well," Vidosic said.

"I think Ballack will be a big loss for them, he's the captain and for us it would be like losing Lucas Neill.

"He's been around the major tournaments and when you have younger players it's always good to have that younger experience."

Vidosic, whose well-struck goal in the 2-1 win over New Zealand late last month probably sealed his spot in the final squad, knows the strengths of the German outfit from his time in the Bundesliga.

"I've played against most of them and I've basically played against their whole starting eleven so I know them pretty well," he said.

"Germany is a team that's not mentioned a lot. They are always rated as one of the favourites but they are never put down as the team to win it.

"But if you look at all the tournaments they've been in they've always been in the finals or the semi-finals.

"I think with the younger blood they've got in the team this year they'll really make a push for it, so we want to stop them on the first day and that's what we're aiming to do."

For Vidosic's part it's just to sit and wait for his chance.

"Of course, if the opportunity came it would be unbelievable to play on probably the greatest stage in any sporting event," he said.

"It will be Pim Verbeek's decision and he'll know the best eleven and whichever players come as as subs. It doesn't matter who's out there, they will do a great job.

"We're all friends so no one wants anyone to be injured. It's not the best feeling as the World Cup only comes once every four years and you don't want anyone to be injured for that."