Nathan Rostron is always outside kicking a ball around. Even during this interview, the Papamoa Primary School pupil wouldn't stand still – he was tossing a ball about.

He wasn't being rude. In fact, he's the most polite, well-spoken 11-year-old this reporter has ever met. He'd just rather play football than talk about it.

Tauranga footballers Xavier Maddox and Nathan Rostron. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

'He's never inside, he's always outside kicking the ball,” says mum Joanne. 'He's got his goal post in the backyard and the ball's always going over the back fence. He's always been an outside boy. He has since he was little.”

It's this natural talent which has led Nathan to be selected as one of two Western Bay of Plenty boys to trial with football giants AC Milan in March next year.

Nathan and fellow footballer 10-year-old Xavier Maddox received Best Overall Player in separate AC Milan Junior Football Camps in Wellington during the school holidays.

Nathan plays for Papamoa Football Club and also trains with All Stars Football Academy's Martin Collins, while Xavier plays for Otumoetai Football Club and also trains with the esteemed Waipuna Coerver Academy based at Waipuna Park.

They'll fly to Italy for an all-expenses paid trip to visit the club and participate in a tournament with the winners of other camps held internationally.

'Nothing has ever happened like this before,” says Joanne. 'We just thought we'd go down and see what other talent there is in New Zealand, and where he sits within that.

'Nick [Nathan's dad] and I weren't expecting him to win or anything, even though he worked really hard when he was down there. We're so proud of him.

'We've always supported Nathan and he's always talking about becoming a professional footballer and we know how hard it is but this could be the little crack in the window that's needed. What a start for him and if nothing comes of it, what an amazing experience for him. He's a very luck boy.”

Nathan is the youngest of four Rostron children; two boys and two girls. His mother's always cautious of ‘babying him'. Now, she's soon sending her ‘baby' to Italy. 'It's a scary thought,” says Joanne. 'That's why we're sending someone with him.”

That someone will either be Mum, dad Nick, or big brother Luke.

Alongside Dad, it's Luke who's versed his little brother in backyard football games, watched their favourite team Liverpool on the telly and introduced him to the sport.

Luke, 22, used to play football and is now training to be a physio. 'I keep saying to him to keep on the right side of Nathan, you never know he might pay you a lot of money to be his personal physio,” says Joanne.

Nathan thinks that's pretty funny. 'Luke used to love Liverpool and I guess I kind of copied him and started loving football from there,” says the youngster.

'It's my passion. I've always loved sport and I just love the game. I have so many idols who play in football.”

It's his dream to play professional football just like Steven Gerrard, Clarence Seedorf and Paolo Maldini.

'It would be cool to play for the All Whites, but I'm part English,” he says with a very faint East Grinstead accent.

Like Nathan, Xavier's also got the urge to always kick a ball around.

'We always have footballs around the house inside and out,” says dad Keir. 'He's often got a ball at his feet. He doesn't overdo it, but he is an active kid. So if there's a football around he'll be kicking it.”

Xavier's also very good at swimming and basketball. 'He's just one of those all-round athletic kids,” says Keir. 'But he's always liked his football.”

It might have something to do with the fact that Dad's a coach at his football club and his big brother played too.

'He's got very good ball skills and he's technically very good,” says Keir. 'He's a good thinker as well. He's always thinking about the passes he can make and how he can change the game.”

As both Dad and coach, Keir says he knows his son has what it takes – but to have professional coaches validate that is 'pretty neat”.

'We're very proud of him and just encourage him to have fun. We praise the effort that he puts in. Everything he gives is his absolute best so it's nice for him to have seen a reward.”

Xavier thinks it's pretty cool to have his dad as one of his coaches. He's just happy playing football.

'It's just interesting and it's not physical like rugby,” says Xavier. 'It's just really fun to have the ball at my feet.”

His favourite team is Barcelona, but now AC Milan comes pretty close.