“I went to see Lionel Messi after the match. He said…’: Vozinha reveals Argentina captain’s words after World Cup exit

Vozinha met Lionel Messi (AP Photo) Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has revealed the heartfelt message he received from Lionel Messi following his side’s gutsy performance against Argentina at the FIFA World Cup.Despite losing 3-2 after extra time, World Cup debutants Cape Verde earned widespread praise for pushing defending champions Argentina to the limit. Goalkeeper Vozinha played a key role in keeping his team in the match, making eight saves against a Messi-led Argentina attack.After the final whistle, Messi and Vozinha shared an emotional moment, with the Argentina captain acknowledging the Cape Verdean side’s remarkable effort.“I went to Messi after the game. He hugged me and said: ‘You are great. Your people should be proud of you.’ That was unbelievable for me,” said Vozinha.The veteran goalkeeper described Messi’s gesture as one of the most special moments of his career. After thanking the Argentine star, Vozinha also asked if they could swap jerseys.“To hear words like that from someone like Leo Messi means a lot to me. I thanked him and said: ‘Thank you, Leo. You are the best.’ I then asked if we could switch shirts. Leo said he would give it to me in the tunnel after the interviews,” he added.“Moments like these will be etched in your heart forever,” he said.As Cape Verde’s historic World Cup run came to an end, the team’s fearless display won admiration across the footballing world. Messi once again led Argentina from the front, scoring his 20th World Cup goal – extending his own record and moving two goals clear of Kylian Mbappé in the tournament’s all-time goalscoring list.Argentina eventually progressed to the round of 16, but only after surviving one of the toughest tests of their title defense against an inspired Cape Verde.