Shattered, the Socceroos have scattered.

Officially released after their fantastic World Cup performance and the disappointment which ended it, most departed Germany for home or holidays knowing they can match it with the world's best.

For some, it will mean transfers to other clubs or improved contracts. For others, it will mean retirement from international football. For most, it will mean a short break before the European pre-season kicks off early next month and club duties come calling.

But the message was clear - getting ready for the 2010 World Cup starts now.

"If we want to build a team, we've got to start from the next time we get together," midfielder Vince Grella said.

"Our plan should be straight away the next World Cup preparation.

"We've got to take on the positives, and there are some little things we can do better."

Grella is one of the players who will form the nucleus of the next World Cup campaign.

The defensive midfielder has been one of the Socceroos' best at this tournament, and with centre-back Lucas Neill and midfielders Jason Culina, Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton and Marco Bresciano, loom as key players for 2010.

The team was officially allowed to leave its Friedrichsruhe hotel after a night of soul searching following its devastating 1-0 loss to three-time world champion Italy in the round of 16.

A disputed penalty kept the Socceroos from the last eight of the World Cup.

But Grella said the team had learned a lot about how to match the world's best - and would use it to advantage in the next World Cup campaign.

"Everyone's got to have a little bit of leadership in them," he said.

"We know what we've got to do and we know maybe how good we can play against the very big teams."

The most interesting post-World Cup scenario is the future for Neill, Australia's best player at the tournament despite conceding the dubious penalty against Italy that ended it all.

The Blackburn Rovers defender is being chased by several clubs - including European champion Barcelona.

And Italian press reports have linked Emerton with Serie A giant AC Milan, though the club is facing an uncertain future after being implicated in that country's match-fixing scandal.

Several other Socceroos - including Grella and Bresciano and Bristol City's Luke Wilkshire - could also find themselves on bigger clubs' shopping lists.

The Socceroos' next scheduled match is their Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait in Sydney on August 16.

But the team is likely to contain few of the first-choice Socceroos, who will be preparing for the start of their European seasons.

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