LONDON (AFP) - Australia are out to prove they have lost none of their World Cup fire by putting Denmark to the sword in a friendly clash in exile here Tuesday.

Australia feel they have truly launched themselves onto the world stage with their feisty performances in Germany last summer, and secured a fanatical following back home, where football has traditionally been overshadowed by Australian football, cricket and the two rugby codes.

Coach Graham Arnold is determined to keep their new fans on board with a strong showing in the match at English Championship side Queens Park Rangers´ Loftus Road ground, in west London, home to thousands of Australian expats.

"We don´t take friendly games as friendly," Arnold insisted Monday.

"The attitude of our players is always to go out and win.

"Denmark are a very good side with very good players. It´s a challenge for us to play against quality opposition like that and test ourselves.

"I always send our team out attacking. With players of the calibre of Mark Viduka, Tim Cahill and John Aloisi, our best form of defence is attack, so why put the handbrake on them?"

Australia proved they were no backwater whipping boys at the World Cup where they lost 1-0 in the second round to eventual winners Italy -- due to a controversial last-ditch penalty.

"The interest back in Australia is phenomenal. What we achieved in the World Cup, the injection that it´s done for the sport has just been incredible," Arnold said.

"Football in Australia has never been so popular. We played a friendly against Paraguay last year in front of some 48,000 fans. In 2001 we played them and there was about 1,800 there."

For Denmark, the match is a tune-up before visiting Spain on March 24 for a key European Championship qualifying Group F match.

But for the Socceroos, the game is part of their preparations for the Asian Cup finals in July -- at which Australia intend to stamp their dominance on the continent since quitting the Oceania confederation last year.

"The proudest thing about the World Cup was that the boys all performed to the maximum of their ability as individuals and as a team," Arnold told AFP.

"We´ve shown the world that we can compete well against the good teams.

"Until the World Cup we always had problems getting friendlies against quality opposition like Denmark.

"But since then, Paraguay, Ghana and Denmark wanted to play us and we´re playing Argentina and Uruguay too. That shows the respect we have now in world football."