Parma midfielder Marco Bresciano who is undergoing a long recovery program for the ankle injury he suffered in a Seria A match before Christmas, gave an interview and encouraged new talents not to put-off their efforts to join Guus Hiddink's squad.

"He (Guus Hiddink) gave me a bit of message by leaving me on the bench (against Solomon Islands in September). I was gutted at the time but he has a way of bringing out the best in players," he said.

Bresciano said that there is speculation in Italy about an Australia vs Italy faceoff in the knockout stages. "People are already mentioning the possibility back in Italy," he said.

"If they top their group and we finish second then we'll face them. Can we beat them?... Why not? We have the players, the depth, we have everything. I have an Italian background and would feel goosebumps about facing them. I'd like to show the Italians that we are a credible football nation."

"We'd certainly be capable of knocking them out. But first we have to get second spot in our group. Playing against Brazil is a privilege. They're the best in the world and it will be between us and Croatia and Japan for second place."

Bresciano's goal in the Australia vs Uruguay World Cup Qualifying Playoff in Sydney's Telstra Stadium, which made the score 1-1 on aggregate, sent both teams into a dramatic penalty shootout after extra time and the Socceroos in the World Cup.

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