FOOTBALL
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It wasn't just Wollongong's football faithful who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero to the A-League All Stars camp.
Socceroos goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic told the Mercury of his desire to lace up the boots alongside the former Juventus legend ahead of the All Stars clash with the Italian giants next Sunday.
Del Piero arrived in Wollongong on Sunday afternoon and is set to train with the squad for the first time on Monday.
"I would love to meet him. I have never had him as a teammate before and he was one of the best players in the world in his time so I can't wait," Galekovic said on Friday.
The All Stars round out their six-day camp with a practice match on Tuesday evening against the Young Socceroos at WIN Stadium.
For Galekovic, the training camp comes just a few short weeks after he arrived back in Australia from the Socceroos' unsuccessful World Cup campaign.
The experienced keeper is the only member of the 2014 Socceroos squad in the All Stars line-up after travelling to his second World Cup.
"It was a great experience. Everyone wants to be involved in a world cup, so to be involved again was great," Galekovic said.
"I think we did pretty well. We didn't win a game but the way we played it shows signs for the future and how good we are going to be with these young guys coming through.
"I think everyone at home was proud of us, and the next aim is obviously to surprise with results and keep playing the way we are playing."
Galekovic has his sights set on another national team call-up when Australia hosts the Asian Cup earlier next year.
"It would be unreal [to win it on home soil]," Galekovic said.
"I think every time you play for your national team, especially on home soil, is a special moment. This is the scenario we have in January, so the boys're looking forward to it."
Before the keeper chases international glory, he will come up against some of the best of European football.
Juventus's star-studded line-up boast Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba and Gianluigi Buffon.
"It is a massive game - Juventus are obviously one of the biggest teams in the world."