Juventus Stadium is a long way from Sir Jack Brabham Park but two kids from Orange will grace the hallowed turf in Turin in June.
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Jesse Board and Hudson Diduszko will fly the flag for Australia at the Juventus Academy World Cup, competing against 39 other countries.
The CYMS Junior Soccer Club duo are the only country representatives in the Sydney Juventus Academy under 12 side which is made up mostly of players from Sydney and Brisbane.
There they will take on various Juventus Academies from countries all over the world, playing at the 41,000-seat ground.
Board said he was feeling equal parts nervous and excited ahead of the international tournament.
"I was pretty nervous and excited because it's a big thing," he said.
"You are playing for your country and all that so I was feeling both."
Thick as thieves
The 11-year olds both go to Catherine McCauley Primary School and have played soccer together since they were five.
Unsurprisingly they both go for Juventus but the similarities don't end there with their favourite players both being big names - Erling Haaland for Diduszko and Cristiano Ronaldo for Board.
While most would be excited about the food and sights when travelling to Italy, both boys are almost exclusively looking forward to getting out on the pitch.
In fact, the only difference is where they play on the field.
Diduszko is a goalkeeper through and through and may find some inspiration playing in the jersey and stadium of one of world football's most storied custodians - Gianluigi Buffon.
Board on the other hand can play anywhere they coach sticks him but will hope to play upfront and get the opportunity to perform the trademark Ronaldo celebration at the very ground he played at.
Board explained he and Diduszko had learned of the opportunity to try out for the team and put their hands up. What followed were many trips to Sydney with a few more locked in for training ahead of the big trip.
"We're going over to Italy for 10 days and there are 40 countries that we are playing and we get to compete in the big stadium which they split into four quarters," he said.
"We learnt from someone from Bathurst who was playing with the Juventus Academy and then tried out for it."
In order to help fund their trip, there will be raffle tickets sold with prizes of more than $3700 including a Weber Family Q, a $500 Reece voucher, a trip to Parliament House with Orange MP Phil Donato plus various gift vouchers.
Tickets will be $50 each, winner takes all with a one in 300 chance of winning. It will be drawn in mid-May with people urged to keep an eye on the CYMS Facebook page.
