MAX Crocombe is relishing the prospect of testing himself against a future Lionel Messi at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The Oxford United goalkeeper flies to Turkey this week to meet up with the New Zealand squad ahead of their group games against Uzbekistan, Uru-guay and Croatia.

The 24-team competition features the best of the world’s young talent.

Previous winners of the golden ball, awarded to the tournament’s outstanding player, include Argentina trio Messi, Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Diego Maradona.

Crocombe is desperate to make the most of the chance and wants to establish himself as the Junior All Whites’ first choice goalkeeper during friendly games against Iraq on Thursday and Egypt next Mon- day.

The Auckland-born stopper will need to make up for lost time after he and the other European-based players missed New Zealand’s first warm-up game against Australia today because of the travel.

He said: “Obviously the aim is to install myself as the No 1, I’ve just got to see, but I’m very confident.

“If I perform to my ability then it should go my way – I don’t want to be sitting on the bench taking it in.

“It should be incredible, the boys in the squad who went to the Under-17 World Cup said it was amazing to play in front of 30,000 fans.

“It’s so exciting for so many different reasons, but none more so than playing against some of the best in the world.

“It’s amazing to think I could be on the same pitch.”

Crocombe made his debut for the Junior All Whites in the Oceania qualifier in April.

The 19-year-old did not concede a goal in his appearances against Vanuatu and hosts Fiji.

He started in United’s final three games of the season, keeping clean sheets against Dagenham, Rochdale and Accrington.