Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou hopes new captain Mile Jedinak can repeat his English Premier League heroics at the World Cup.

Jedinak will be the fourth player to captain Australia at a World Cup, while Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano have also been announced as the vice-captains for the Brazil campaign.

Postecoglou was full of praise for Jedinak, who captains Crystal Palace in the EPL.

After being widely-tipped to struggle last season, Palace finished 11th.

Likewise, few pundits expect an inexperienced Australian squad to have much impact at the World Cup.

“In my mind, he’s probably been one of the top five Australian sportsmen in the last 12 months with what he’s achieved, Postecoglou said at Wednesday’s announcement.

“He’s led a group of players and a team in the English Premier League that many had written off.

“A lot of those characteristics apply to us right now and I know that when we get to Brazil and face up to the challenges we need to face up to, Mile, Timmy and Mark will be leading from the front.”

Jedinak, 29, has played 43 times for Australia and led the Socceroos in their last international against Ecuador in March.

Previous captain Lucas Neill, who will not be going to Brazil, led Australia in Postecoglou’s only other match in charge against Costa Rica.

“It is probably the biggest honour I will receive,” Jedinak said.

Postecoglou added Jedinak was the outstanding choice to be captain and said he was ideally-suited to join the select group of players who have led the Socceroos at the World Cup.

“Peter Wilson, Mark Viduka, Lucas Neill are names that are absolutely entrenched in Australian sporting history because they’ve captained an Australian team in a World Cup,” he said.

“Mile sits right alongside them.”