Australian national team coach Pim Verbeek has ruled Harry Kewell out of Monday's friendly with New Zealand but says he will be ready for the real stuff in next month's World Cup.

The Galatasaray forward is being troubled by an ongoing groin injury as doubt continues to cloud his fitness leading into the finals in South Africa which kick off on June 11 but Verbeek says the former Leeds and Liverpool man will be ready for the group stage.

"He's not ready for the New Zealand game I can tell you now straight on," Verbeek said. "He will be ready when we start the World Cup against Germany and that's all that matters.

"I am 100 percent confident they (the medical staff) can do the job and Harry will be ready.

"He had a morning session training, he had an afternoon session training, he was in the swimming pool at five o'clock in the afternoon, he's training three times a day."

Australia meet Germany in their opening match in Durban on Sunday June 13 (Monday June 14 ACST), followed by clashes with Ghana and Serbia.