Socceroos midfielder Cameron Devlin is flying home with one of the World Cup’s most valuable mementos after swapping shirts with Argentinian star Lionel Messi, despite not seeing a minute of game time during the tournament.
Devlin was one of six unused substitutes during Australia’s campaign but he was on hand to secure a priceless souvenir after Messi led Argentina’s 2-1 defeat of the Socceroos.
Messi was awarded player of the match having scored in the first half, with Devlin approaching the all-time great afterwards with a crisp, clean Socceroos jersey to swap for his Argentinian strip.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner duly obliged. Devlin’s memento is made all the more special given the last-16 clash was Messi’s 1000th professional outing of one of the greatest club and international careers the game has seen.
Several Australian teammates including Marco Tilio, Keanu Baccus and Jason Cummings also took selfies with the 35-year-old after full-time.
Argentina take on the Netherlands in a tantalising quarter-final clash on Saturday morning (6am, AEDT), renewing a World Cup rivalry that peaked with the 1978 final, a 3-1 Argentinian win on home soil over the Dutch.
Devlin, who made his international debut in September against New Zealand, will return to Australia before linking once more with Scottish outfit Hearts.
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