But what about the material benefits? What do the Socceroos gain exactly from their climb to the apex of the tournament, a journey that seems to have captured the imagination of a nation? Plenty.

First and foremost, success in Saturday night's final against South Korea at ANZ Stadium - a match destined to sell out within the next 24 hours - will see the Socceroos qualify for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.

A tournament reserved for the various continental champions, it is officially a test event for the World Cup, with FIFA's focus on fine-tuning organisational and logistical issues. It's fair to say the Confederations Cup has struggled to earn widespread acclaim as a football event since it was established 23 years ago, but for the eight teams involved, the benefits are unquestioned. Don't doubt Ange Postecoglou will be eager for the opportunity to challenge his team against high-quality opposition just a year out from the next World Cup.

Certainly the Confederations Cup has provided some memorable moments for the Socceroos - making the final in Riyadh in 1997 and beating the world's top two teams (Brazil and France) within the space of nine days in South Korea in 2001 were landmark achievements.

There's little doubt the failure to qualify for three of the past four tournaments has been keenly felt. South Korea, who've never played in the Confederations Cup, will be equally motivated by the opportunity.

Then there's the question of FIFA rankings. The Socceroos went into the Asian Cup ranked 94th in the world and irrespective of the result of the final, it's likely they've already jumped about 30 places. They'll leap even higher if they beat a South Korean team ranked well above them, and while the rankings system is generally the subject of great ridicule, it does have some uses.

The higher the Socceroos are ranked, the better chance there is of attracting high-quality opposition for the occasional money-spinning friendly. For the players, the higher the ranking the better chance there is of obtaining a British work permit, thus living the dream of a fat contract in the English Premier League. It's no surprise that player agents tend to keep a closer watch on the rankings than anyone else.

The other significant benefit the Socceroos have earned from making the final - and this won't be greatly affected by the scoreline on Saturday night - is they will finish the tournament among the top seeds for the 2018 World Cup campaign. There were eight teams ranked about Australia heading into the Asian Cup, and with only eight seeds available for the World Cup qualifiers it might have been a messy outcome. No more.

By securing a top-eight seeding (it's likely to end up being as high as third or fourth), the Socceroos secure a favourable schedule for the qualifiers, which kick off in June. Most likely that will involve the final match being played at home - something that proved decisive in the last campaign, when Josh Kennedy's late header at Homebush Bay just got the Socceroos over the line against Iraq. A top-eight seeding also means Australia avoid one of Asia's heavyweights in the group stage.

For all the benefits on offer, it's unlikely the players will dwell on them heading into the final. The chance to win a first major trophy - especially on home soil - remains the driving force. But when it all dies down, the team will enjoy the fruits of their labour. As they should, because they've earned them the hard way.