Hearts trio given World Cup shopping list as team-mates prepare to cheer for Australia

Hearts’ Australian trio have been packed off to Qatar with a shopping list of souvenirs from their team-mates.

Toby Sibbick (right) with Hearts team-mate and Australia World Cup squad member Kye Rowles. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Keen to see his colleagues shine on the World Cup stage, where they will open their Group D account against defending champions France on Tuesday, before taking on Tunisia and Denmark, Toby Sibbick says they have been given specific instructions when it comes to facing Les Blues.

“I hope they get a few good shirts against France. I’ve told them they need to get a few good ones.”

Kye Rowles, Nat Atkinson and Cammy Devlin earned their place in Graham Arnold’s squad with fine performances for the Tynecastle club this term. And, while the former had his involvement at club level curtailed by injury, after he sustained a broken foot at the end of August, and only returned to action less than two weeks ago, right-back Atkinson and bustling midfielder Devlin will head into the biggest tournament on earth buoyed by their experiences of playing in the Europa League qualifiers and the Europa Conference League group matches.

“They have done well for us this season,” said Sibbick. “Kye has been out injured so it’s great that he’s going to the World Cup. It shows what the manager thinks of him as a player. You can see in Kye’s performances that he’s a quality player. He is class to play with. It is great that all three of them are going and we will be right behind them.

“European football should help prepare them for the World Cup. Cammy and Natty have had that experience and Kye’s had a little bit as well. Now they are going to be playing against the very best players in the World, especially France, who won the World Cup previously. They have top players and it will be great for the lads to test themselves against the likes of Mbappe and Benzema. We will be watching them.

“It will also help Hearts. For any player going to the World Cup it will be a top class experience but they are still young. I’m sure they will have a great experience out there and I’m looking forward to them telling us all about it when they get back.”