No social media, no milkshakes: How Australia reached last 16 at Fifa World Cup

Old-school values, a ban on social media and some moments of quality propelled Australia into the last 16 of the Fifa World Cup and a date with Lionel Messi's Argentina on Saturday.

In the build-up to the tournament in Qatar, expectations in Australia were rock-bottom and the days of Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and Mark Viduka – the Socceroos from the 2006 run to the last 16 – were a distant memory.

Now coach Graham Arnold, who himself faced questions over his position in the build-up to the World Cup, has proclaimed the 2022 vintage could be a new "golden generation".

That is an optimistic view because the Australia team thumped 4-1 by holders France before narrow wins over Tunisia and Denmark does not have established players in top European leagues and few stars are coming through.

But what this Socceroos side does have is a strong sense of togetherness, a fighting spirit and a coach who combines tactical nous with what some would consider old-fashioned values.

If there is one thing that the 59-year-old Arnold hates, it is social media.

"You look at underdogs and they achieve something and they get a great result and then they're celebrating and they're very emotional," the straight-talking Arnold said after Mathew Leckie scored the winner against Denmark on Wednesday.

"And again – I hate saying this – they're on social media until four or five in the morning reading all these comments and pats on the back, all that stuff.

"I've been in the game and been around long enough to know that the most important thing is recovery, sleep and making sure that you do everything to be ready for the next game."

Arnold replied "wow" when informed that England manager Gareth Southgate had promised he would reward his players at the World Cup by allowing them to have a milkshake.

Asked if he would let his men have a treat, Arnold held up a bottle of water, albeit with a smile.

He then trained his sights back on social media, railing against "what it can do to players mentally".

"If they are reading negative stuff then they don't sleep well," he said.

"So I always say to the boys 'have a laugh before you go to sleep, listen to popular music that you like – that's Australian music – and make yourself happy before you go to sleep'."

But to portray Arnold, or "Arnie" as Leckie calls him, as some kind of dinosaur would be to do him a disservice on the basis of his team's achievements in Qatar.

He preaches hard work, fight and "the right mentality", but he also got his game plan spot-on against a disappointing Denmark team that reached the semi-finals of the European Championship last year.

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