Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud both refused to swap shirts with Australia forward Jason Cummings at the World Cup.
Cummings, who earned his second cap for Socceroos as he came off the bench during their group stage opener against France, was deperate for a memento to remind him of the moment but has revealed how he was knocked back by the French pair.
After Australia’s 4-1 defeat, Cummings said he first went for the “top boy”.
He told The Project (via GOAL): “After the France game, I actually tried to get Mbappe – forget Giroud, I went for the top boy Mbappe – and he told me to meet him in the changing rooms. So I went to the changing room and the kit man was there and I gave him my top and 10 minutes later he came out with my jersey and says: ‘Nah, absolutely not, [Mbappe] doesn’t want to swap’.
“So when I was walking back to my changing room and I’ve seen Giroud and I’m walking, as handsome as ever, and I asked him, ‘Giroud, please man, can I get your shirt man? I’m a big fan, can I get your shirt?’ And he just walked past me, pretended he never spoke English! And he’s been in the Premier League for 10 years! He just walked right past me!”
Scottish-born Cummings took to Instagram to wish Lionel Messi good luck ahead of Argentina’s final against the French.
He wrote: ‘Do the basics right Leo. Don’t play the occasion, play the game. All the best, Cumdog.’
Cumdog added: “I think I deserve a lot of credit (for Messi’s World Cup showing) – he’s definitely checked his phone just before, he’s seen the Cumdog pop up on his Instagram there.
“He’s checked that and it just gave him that extra motivation. I think it was the best World Cup game, never mind the final – it had everything.
“I think the debate’s over now. For me, Messi’s got the GOAT status. He’s got the World Cup – something that (Cristiano) Ronaldo hasn’t got, and probably never get the chance to win any more.”
READ MORE: Ranking all 20 Premier League-based World Cup winners by importance in country’s glory
