Massimo Luongo hopes his partner will forgive him if he has to cancel their summer holiday to Turkey and Italy in favour of a career-changing trip to Brazil.
But until that happens, the 21-year-old midfielder is happy to just be considered for a World Cup call-up with the Socceroos.
Luongo was on Wednesday one of four uncapped players named in coach Ange Postecoglou’s 23-man squad for next week’s friendly international against Ecuador in London, alongside Curtis Good, Ben Halloran and Chris Herd.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve ever officially been called up at any level, so it’s a big moment in my career, in my life,” Sydney-born, UK-based Luongo told Fox Sports.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more, coming from Australia.
“I’m just happy to be in Ange’s mind, just to be acknowledged.”
Postecoglou recently visited Luongo in south-west England, where he plays for third-tier club Swindon Town.
Having failed to break into Premier League giants Tottenham’s first team after nearly three years in their junior ranks, he joined the League One outfit on loan before securing a three-year contract in the off-season.
“He is a highly rated youngster,” Postecoglou said.
“I spoke to quite a number of people over there including people at Tottenham, including (manager) Tim Sherwood, and they rated him very highly. He was a bit unlucky to not break through there.
“At Swindon he has become a mainstay even though he’s only a young lad. League One is a fairly tough, uncompromising competition and he has held his own.
“Technically he’s a good footballer and he’s one that I want to expose to our national team environment and see how he adapts, see whether he fits in.
“He has shown enough so far to deserve an opportunity and that is what we have given him.”
He’s yet to find out if he’ll even get game time in next Wednesday’s match at The Den, but Luongo admits he has thought about the prospect of making his World Cup debut in green and gold come June.
“Only because it coincides with my holidays,” he said with a smile.
“But it has crossed my mind a little bit. I’m not expecting anything, because I know it’s my first call up.
“I’ve booked a trip to Turkey already, so that will probably have to go.
“I was thinking maybe a couples retreat in Italy, that might have to go as well.
“My missus would be fuming, but I think she’ll forgive me if she gets a couple of nights in Brazil.”
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