"You just conceded four goals... and you ask Messi for his shirt? What a shame"

T he 4-0 defeat suffered by Cincinnati against Inter Miami in the Conference semi-finals left many readings and some scenes that did not go down well. One of them was the image of Teenage Hadebe leaving the field with Leo Messi's shirt under his arm, a gesture that has angered Kaylyn Kyle, former Canadian international and current television analyst.

The 37-year-old did not mince words when assessing the defender's attitude. On Apple TV, he lamented that the footballer seemed more concerned with getting the Argentine's memento than the heavy defeat: "That's what frustrates me the most. It looked like they were coming off a show and Messi had completely overshadowed him."

The former player understands the greatness of the '10', but considers that context changes everything: "Messi is the best in history, he has won absolutely everything... but you just lost 4-0. Is it really the time to ask for his shirt? For me, it's to feel embarrassed".

Kyle went even further by appealing to respect for the fans: "Your people support you every season, every week. You've been run over in a semi-final and the first thing you do is look for the exchange. If you want their shirt to hang at home, fine... but do it inside, not just after you've been wiped off the pitch".

Bad image?

The scene, he says, reflects badly on both the player and the club: "It's a bad image for FC Cincinnati and for those who were on the pitch."