The Rising Star Who Couldn’t Take Lionel Messi’s Jersey
Alexander Robertson’s unsuccessful attempt to claim Lionel Messi’s jersey.
The friendly match between Argentina and Australia, held at Beijing Workers Stadium, ended with a 2-0 victory for Lionel Scaloni’s team, thanks to goals from Messi and Germán Pezzella. The game provided several memorable moments.
One of the most notable incidents took place after the match, when Australian footballer Alexander Robertson pursued Lionel Messi in an attempt to secure his jersey. However, Messi was unaware of Robertson’s presence and continued towards the locker room.
Also read: Exclusive footage: Lionel Messi’s incredible skills against the Australian players
Robertson, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder, currently plays for Manchester City’s youth team, the reigning champions of the UEFA Champions League.
Robertson in action for Manchester City’s youth team. Photo: Manchester City
Although he had the opportunity to represent three other national teams, Robertson ultimately chose to play for Australia. He was previously a member of England’s Under 17 squad but decided to join the Oceanic team.
Standing at 1.82 meters tall, Robertson is eligible to play for Australia and Peru due to his father and mother’s nationalities, respectively. However, he also has ties to Scotland and England. Scotland is his birthplace (Dundee), while England is where he grew up and spent most of his life.
Also read: Chinese fan who embraced Lionel Messi reveals his dreams
Amidst speculation from various federations, it was Australia who first called up Robertson for the recent FIFA international break, where they faced Ecuador in two friendly matches.
Robertson made his debut for the Australian national team in the friendlies against Ecuador.
In 2020, Robertson was included in The Guardian’s “Next Generation” list. Currently, he has yet to make his official debut for the Premier League champions, but he was named on the substitute bench during the Champions League round of 16 tie against Leipzig.
