Buoyed by a heart-stopping 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia in World Cup qualification, the Caltex Socceroos are in camp in Melbourne and now focussed on world number-one ranked nation Brazil.
The two nations meet in Melbourne on Tuesday night in a friendly at the MCG.
With the Victorian capital in the midst of football fever, an expected massive crowd is set to descent on the G for what looms as a very entertaining clash between two teams will press and attack.
95,000 see Brazil lose to Messi’s Argentina
BRAZIL BENCHMARK CHALLENGE
For Australia, the clash is another chance to evolve this young group under the guidance of coach Ange Postecoglou.
No doubt Postecoglou will use the game to try out some new faces and test formations against the world number-one ranked nation.
They’ll face a Brazil squad featuring stars from the biggest leagues in the world, with the likes of Willian, Tiago Silva and David Luiz.
It’ll be the Socceroos’ last game on Australian soil before they jet off to Russia for the FIFA Confederations Cup next Wednesday.
And the way Australia and Brazil both play their football, this is set to be a very entertaining clash.
And it’s even more enticing for the Victorian boys in the Socceroos’ squad, including Burton Albion's attacking midfielder Jackson Irvine who spoke to reporters in Melbourne on Saturday morning.
BURTON TO BRAZIL
This is another chance to test ourselves in terms of what we’re trying to do in our development and preparation as a squad.
Obviously we’re aware of the opposition and the challenges they’ll give us, but we’ll do no more preparation on Brazil than any other team we’ll play against.
And we’ll just see it as another chance to test ourselves and play our game.
And we’re hoping to cause them [Brazil] a different set of problems [to Argentina].