Hearts ace Cammy Devlin reveals how he managed to get Lionel Messi's strip after Argentina win over Australia

Cammy Devlin has revealed how he managed to get Lionel Messi’s match-worn strip following Australia’s World Cup exit to Argentina.

The Hearts midfielder was seen on video receiving it from the player many perceive to be the greatest of all time after the 2-1 defeat. This was despite Devlin not featuring in that match or any of the Socceroos’ four contests in Qatar.

Devlin explains that it was nothing more than going up to the PSG attacker and asking him after his Aussie team-mates had passed up the chance.

"I made sure Dad had it on his carry-on, not underneath, just in case something happened,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Cammy Devlin is quizzed by the media after arriving in Sydney following Australia's exit from the World Cup. Picture: Getty

“I went to console all the boys first and then shook Messi’s hand and no one had said anything, so I just tried my luck and he said ‘I’ll see you inside’.”

“I definitely wanted the other boys to have the opportunity first but no one took it, so I thought, ‘why not?’"

The match even had extra significance for Messi as the victory was his 1,000th career appearance, a milestone he marked by netting the opening goal and sending Argentina on the path to victory.

One of the favourites to win the World Cup, Argentina will meet the Netherlands in what promising to be an enthralling quarter-final encounter on Friday evening.

Devlin was included in the Australia squad for Qatar alongside Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson. The latter played in the opening-match defeat to France, while Rowles played every minute as Graham Arnold’s side upset the odds to reach the knockout stages.

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