The Socceroos have been slammed for ‘fanboying’ over Lionel Messi after Argentina knocked Australia out of the World Cup.
Footage from the dressing rooms saw Australian players Keanu Baccus, Joel King and Marco Tilio pose for photos with Messi after the match.
Each player later uploaded their photos with the Argentinian skipper to their Instagram accounts, where their followers shared in their delight
Soceroos player Marco Tilio told his Instagram followers Messi had been his ‘idol’ growing up
King was seen proudly showing his photo with Messi to his teammates and a reporter, while Tilio took to Instagram to share the special moment.
‘To be a part of something so special and to have learnt so much,’ he wrote.
To then meeting my idol growing up and the best player in the world. I’m so grateful and feel blessed. Thank you Australia, what an experience.’
However, some Aussie fans said the photos came too soon after the devastating World Cup loss with Australia losing to Argentina 2-1 on Sunday morning.
‘They should be suspended from the national team,’ one person wrote on Twitter.
Footage from the dressing rooms saw Australian players Keanu Baccus, Joel King and Marco Tilio pose for photos with Messi after the match
‘I think a lot of people would be upset still at leaving the World Cup to worry about a selfie with Messi,’ a second agreed.
‘Deserved to lose. Imagine being the reason your country is out of the World Cup and you don’t even care and your smiling,’ a third said.
‘Totally an un-Australian thing to do,’ a fourth added.
Others said posing for a photo with one of the greatest players in the world was understandable, despite the World Cup loss.
‘Why are people upset by this? It’s after the game, and most of our players grew up watching him,’ another fan wrote.
However, some Aussie fans said the photos came too soon after the devastating World Cup loss with Australia losing to Argentina 2-1 on Sunday morning (pictured)
‘It’s not every day you see a goat or play with him,’ another agreed.
‘Those players one day will show these pictures to their grandchildren and tell them I played against the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time).’
‘Absolutely nothing wrong with this! The man’s an icon!’ another wrote.
However, many would argue it was Aussie player Cameron Devlin who came out on top – securing the shirt Messi wore during the game against his team.
Footage shared on Twitter shows Messi heading towards the dressing room shortly after picking up the Player of the Match award, before stopping and exchanging words with someone out of shot.
Messi took his shirt after collecting the Player of the Match Award in the tunnel
As the Argentina skipper proceeds to remove his shirt, the camera pans onto Devlin, who shakes hands with Messi and hands him his still folded match shirt.
Messi does likewise with his, which Devlin, one of six Socceroos who didn’t see a minute of action in Qatar, swiftly tucks under his training top, before the two go separate ways.
A prized possession in normal circumstances, the shirt Messi wore against Australia could be a real collector’s item.
It had been the Argentine maestro’s 1,000th career game, which he marked with a superb finish to give his side the lead 35 minutes into the first half.
The strike was Messi’s ninth World Cup goal – one behind Gabriel Batistuta, La Albiceleste’s record goalscorer – and his first in the knockout stages.
Devlin didn’t play a single minute at the World Cup for Australia
It could be the last Argentina shirt Messi ever wins a game in, should Lionel Scaloni’s men crash out against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Socceroos boss Graham Arnold admitted being left in awe by Messi’s brilliance, after the Argentina skipper delivered a superb performance.
‘He’s one of the greatest ever,’ he said.
‘We really worked hard not to be in awe of him, because of the great player he is.
‘But wow, he’s remarkable.
‘I had the privilege of playing against Diego Maradona, and now coaching against Messi – they’re both wonderful players and Argentina should be so proud and happy to have players of that calibre.’
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