Vieri hoping to face big brother

Vieri's call-up for Australia has earned a huge amount of publicity for both the player and his nation, with the Italian-based star delighted to be given a chance at international level.

Max admitted that both he and his brother were hoping to face each other on the football pitch for their respective nations.

"We hope one day to play against each other," said Vieri, who is currently battling to win a first team spot at Serie B Napoli.

Australia boss Frank Farina believes that the player brings quality to his side.

"Max is still part owned by Juventus," said Farina. "Any player who signs for Juventus has some special qualities.

"I always talk about depth to my squad and Max is a player who I thought could give us that."

Meanwhile, Mark Viduka has admitted that he nearly retired from international football after Soccer Australia enforced the five-day rule to stop the striker playing for Leeds United.

Viduka missed out on Leeds' game against Manchester United, with Australia preventing him from playing under Fifa's ruling after he did not report for international duty for a friendly against Venezuela.

Viduka had cited personal reasons for not playing in the game, and was livid that his nation did not take in to account the fact that his father was undergoing brain surgery around the time of the game.

"I was close [to quitting]," Viduka told Leeds, Leeds, Leeds magazine. "I was thinking 'what sort of a national team is it that can't take into consideration these thigns?'

"The people that run that place have to realise that running a national side isn't like running a shopping centre."