Lionel Messi: Australia midfielder Riley McGree on World Cup meeting
- Published
Riley McGree played four games for Australia at the World Cup, including the Argentina match
Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree says sharing the pitch with "the greatest ever" player in Lionel Messi was a moment to remember during Australia's World Cup campaign.
The Socceroos, in their first quarter-final appearance, lost 2-1 to Messi's Argentina to bow out in the last eight.
McGree played almost an hour of the game before Craig Goodwin replaced him.
"I was just happy to share the pitch with him and not get exposed too much," McGree, 24, told BBC Radio Tees.
"It's Messi you know, in my opinion he's the greatest ever, for some boys growing up watching and knowing who he is and wanting a picture is completely respectable.
"Cammy Devlin, who plays for Hearts, ended up getting his shirt, he just asked him. I don't think anyone dared ask him but he asked and he got it."
McGree got to play four matches at the tournament under Graham Arnold, including wins over Denmark and Tunisia, and also featured in defeats by finalists France and Argentina.
For a boy devoted to soccer from the Australian Rules hotbed of South Australia, the journey from the country town of Gawler to a global tournament like the World Cup has been a long one.
Having come into the A-League with Adelaide before enduring a disappointing spell at Club Brugge in Belgium, McGree arrived at Middlesbrough in January, via stops in the United States and Birmingham City.
His and the team's exploits in Qatar have already exceeded all previous performances, and made history for the sport in Australia.
"The World Cup was awesome, we had a great time and as a team and a collective we did what we set out to do and went as far as we possibly could have," McGree added.
"It was a massive learning experience and a very proud moment for me.
"It's something I did visualise - walking out and singing the national anthem at a World Cup. It's still sinking in and will continue to sink in for the rest of my career and my life."