Troy Deeney has recalled how his iconic Championship play-off goal led to swapping shirts with Real Madrid royalty, Gonzalo Higuain.
The talkSPORT pundit was front and centre of last-gasp drama for Watford in their 3-1 semi-final clash against Leicester City in 2013.
Deeney thumped in a half-volley at the end of a counter-attack after Anthony Knockaert missed a penalty in second half stoppage-time.
“Now here come Watford… Forestieri… Here’s Hogg… Deeney!” is how the famous commentary sounded on television.
Watford reached the final at Wembley with a 3-2 aggregate win only to lose 1-0 against Crystal Palace to end their promotion hopes.
But Deeney’s moment will forever be one of the most dramatic goals in English football history, and it caught the eyes of the world.
Even former Argentine striker Higuain, who won three LaLiga titles and scored 121 goals at Madrid, couldn’t take his eye of the scenes.
Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Deeney revealed how he managed to exchange shirts when his fellow forward was on loan at Chelsea.
At the time, the Blues were managed by Maurizio Sarri, with Deeney’s ex-Watford manager Gianfranco Zola as assistant boss.
“Actually I wanted to meet Higuain because I was a huge fan of the man himself, and obviously I knew Zola from that time.
“I remember talking to Zola in the tunnel after the game and I said, ‘What’s the chances of getting Higuain’s shirt?’ He said, ‘Yeah, no problem.’ Goes in, he’s like, ‘Ah, he wants to meet you as well.’
“‘Ok, that’s a bit strange.’ I thought he was just being nice, like most people do. I remember before, I’ve changed shirts with Yaya Toure and Yaya clearly goes, ‘Can I have your top as well?’ You’re like, ‘You’re clearly just throwing that in the bin’, or he’s washing his car with it.
“Higuain came out and we had a chat, he was just basically saying that he remembers watching that goal over and over on YouTube, that moment.
“We ended up speaking, and you feel like a bit of an imposter, you’re talking to Higuain about the goal against Leicester. Obviously you’re like, ‘You’ve done a lot better than me in life.’
“But it was great, I’ve still got that shirt in the office as well so very, very nice story, very nice time.
“That goal gets played around this time anyway, so I’m sure the people that run my socials will be happy with that.”
Watford were eventually promoted to the Premier League in 2015, with Deeney remaining key to the side in their success.
He helped them return to the top flight in 2021 too but then left the club and joined his boyhood side Birmingham City.
Deeney will now keep a close eye on this season’s Championship play-off final, which will be live on talkSPORT on May 24.
Sheffield United will contest for promotion after thrashing Bristol City 6-0 in the semi-finals.
They will face Sunderland, who scored a dramatic late winner against Coventry City to book their place at Wembley.
