The Netherlands-based 23-year-old delivered the standout performance in a tense 0-0 draw with Paraguay on Friday )AEST) which put the Socceroos into the Round of 32 with a second-placed finish in Group D behind United States.

Bos does most of his work on the left but shifted over to the right to cover for injured Jacob Italiano and proved a menace for the South American side's defence.

A goal would have been the icing on the cake when Bos split two defenders on the right of the box, dribbled in and unleashed from distance in the 89th minute but the angled shot fizzed just wide of the far post.

"It was one of the best individual performances I've seen from a Socceroo in a very long time, especially at this level," midfield team-mate Jackson Irvine said.

"He plays with absolute fearlessness and just the athleticism is something to be amazed by. We are very lucky to have him."

Bos had the best season of his career at Feyenoord, helping the Dutch side secure a place in the UEFA Champions League with four goals and seven assists in the Eredivisie.

His idol is former Netherlands winger Arjen Robben but Connor Metcalfe, another Socceroos team-mate, regards Bos as a "young [Gareth] Bale".

"I don't mind Bale, to be honest," Bos said when asked about the comparison.

Bos has already made an impression at this FIFA World Cup as the fastest player in the first round of matches.

He was clocked running at a top speed of 36.7km/h in Australia's 2-0 win over Turkey, shading second-fastest Erling Haaland (36.5 km/h), according to FIFA statistics.

Australia may lack the star power of its "golden generation" of 2006, when the likes of Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill drove it to the Round of 16 in Germany, but fans see flickers of a new one emerging as young players like Bos and 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda seize their moments.

And 18-year-old Lucas Herrington became Australia's youngest player to start a FIFA World Cup match when he slotted seamlessly into the back three against Paraguay, barely putting a foot wrong.

"He is a special talent and it's why he was selected in the squad, not to just make up the numbers," Socceroos coach Tony Popovic said.

Pundits see a bright future for a squad featuring 17 players at their first FIFA World Cup, and look forward to the next edition in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

"In four to eight years it should be a special group," Popovic agreed.

"But I've always said, why can't it be a special group now?"