In May and June 2016, Ben will travel to South America to play in Brazil against some of the country’s finest young futsal talent.

“It still hasn’t sunk in – I’m ecstatic, I never expected to be selected for something like this,” Ben told the Guardian. “I’m stoked I get to go to Brazil and experience the culture and vibe of the place.

“Brazil is one of the football capitals of the world – and with the World Cup there a couple of years ago and the Olympics over there next year … it’s going to be unreal.”

The boys face a gruelling schedule which will see the main part of the tour held in Belo Horizonte where the team will receive the highest quality futsal coaching available in Brazil with various sessions at Recreativo Futsal Training Centre.

Ben will also have the chance to watch a professional game and feel the atmosphere of Brazilian soccer.

To cap off the great Brazilian experience, the tour will end with two nights in Rio and will include a visit to the one of the biggest stadiums in Brazil that was built for the 1950 World Cup, the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain and Ipanema and Copacabana beaches.

Ben has a passion for football and futsal and sees this opportunity to travel with the Australian team as an amazing chance to enhance his skills and to grow as a person.

“He’s played soccer since he could walk,” Ben’s dad David told the Guardian.

“At five he began playing for the Nambucca Strikers FC. At nine he was selected to play for North Coast Football and for the past five years he has trained twice a week in Coffs Harbour plus club commitments, and he takes every opportunity to attend holiday clinics and tournaments.

“It’s a lot of travel … but hey, the things you do for your kids.”

Ben’s acceptance letter, sent via email, opened with ‘Your wonderful display at the tournament was duly recognised by the International Selection Panel and it is now my pleasure to invite you to be part of the Australian Futsal Team to tour Brazil’ and closed with ‘once again, congratulations, you are amongst the best players in Australia’, something that Ben said is still sinking in.

“We got it at 10pm on the Sunday,” Ben said. “It was an exciting night. I didn’t sleep until 2am – the adrenalin was just pumping. I was completely wired.”

“I haven’t played futsal for long, but I’ve played soccer for years.

“I’m looking forward to getting my own shirt with my name on the back of it.”

Aside from the selection to the Australian team, Ben was also accepted to play for Mid North Coast football who play in the u15s Newcastle NPL next season. 

“This consists of training in Taree and Port Macquarie every week and playing away games in the Newcastle area,” David said.

“It will be a very busy and exciting 2016 ahead with the Brazil tour the highlight.”

Ben will hold local fundraisers over the coming months to help with the cost of the tour in Brazil and he said this experience will take him one step closer to achieving his goal of one day becoming a Socceroo.