Martin Boyle has admitted he was 'buzzing' at pulling out his Australia World Cup Panini sticker from a packet.
The Hibs star looks a cert for Graham Arnold's Socceroos squad as they head for the finals in Qatar in November with at minimum three big matches with France, Denmark and Tunisia in their section. Playing in the biggest tournament in world football is a dream for the 29-year-old and in preparation he left Asda along with his daughter Amelia and a World Cup sticker album.
It is something the 29-year-old has been doing since he was a kid himself and he's started to make a dent in the latest book with six new packets of cards. It wasn't until the fifth pack reality sunk in with the Hibs star pulling HIMSELF. A real moment of realisation that he is in fact heading for the finals as he quipped: 'Imagine Messi doing it and getting me?'
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Speaking to BBC Sport Scotland, he said: "We were on the fifth packet and I saw Australia in the corner of the one coming up and I got a bit excited, but it was Aaron Mooy (now of Celtic).
"There was another sticker in underneath and it was me. Mental. I was buzzing. Amelia was buzzing. My wife Rachael (a Scotland international) was buzzing.
"I mean, this is something I did as a kid. Now myself and Amelia are doing it together. I'm guessing Cristiano Ronaldo's not doing Panini, but I love it. Imagine Messi doing it and getting me. He's ripping it up, isn't he? 'Who's this fraud?'
Boyle and Co face a double-header showdown with New Zealand before Graham Arnold decides the pool of players he will take to the finals.
A number of SPFL stars past and present could be on the plane with the likes of Hearts trio Kye Rowles, Cammy Devlin and Nathaniel Atkinson all eyeing up a spot. Former Rangers and Easter Road star Jason Cummings is another alongside Boyle.
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