The Canberra Times held its own little group B qualifier, inviting Chile, Spain and The Netherlands along to Yarralumla Oval, throwing them a round ball to see what would happen.

Carlos Moran, charge d'affaires at the Chilean embassy, even in trousers and dress shoes, displayed skills to rival those of star player Arturo Vidal, wandering off for a few minutes of keepy uppies to warm up for the impromptu kick around.

Spanish ambassador Enrique Viguera was itching to go from the start, passionate and fleet of foot, and Annemieke Ruigrok, ambassador of the Netherlands, was tenacious and skillful, not letting the gentlemen get the better of her.

It's going to be a tough few weeks.

But how did they rate the Socceroos chances?

"The Australians will be a very tough team," Mr Moran said, "in terms of their physicality and style of play. But I think Chile will win this first one on Saturday morning."

All three were being, well, diplomatic about the Socceroos' chances. It seemed as though they were treating the green and gold team a little like children at a wedding. You can stay until the reception starts but then you need to head home before the big boys get the party started.

They were more concerned about how their teams would fare against each other. Mr Viguera and Ms Ruigrok still bantering over the final of the 2010 World Cup where Spain beat the Dutch 1-0 in extra time.

The Dutch have never won a World Cup, being runners up in 2010, 1978 and 1974. Ms Ruigrok thinks this might be their year.

She reminds us, too, that it was the Dutch who taught Australia how to play football. So if we're any chance we can thank them.

"When Australia did so well at the 1998 World Cup, it was a Dutchman, Guus Hiddink, who was the coach."

Mr Viguera played football as often as he could as a child, growing up in Seville.

"I wasn't very good but I loved it," he said.

"I was a striker, I loved to score goals."

Ms Ruigrok was a midfielder.

"I liked to organise people," she said. "I took it very seriously. I remember watching the World Cup one summer. I would have been around seven or eight years old. All my friends were outside playing and I was glued to the television."

All three are preparing for a long month of late nights and mixing with fellow supporters at venues around Canberra. And, they admit, there'll be a bit of friendly niggling on the diplomatic circuit for the next few weeks.

But being diplomatic is what they're best at. When pushed to say which of their teams will do the best Mr Moran said: "We don't want to have a diplomatic incident here at this oval do we?"

Then he laughed, turned on his shiny shoes, and shot for goal.