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Vozinha reveals Lionel Messi told him, 'Your people should be proud of you'
Vozinha shared what Lionel Messi told him when the two met following Argentina's hard-fought victory.
Cape Verde pushed Argentina to the very limit, taking the match into extra time before eventually losing 3-2. Although their World Cup journey ended there, the fearless manner in which they played earned widespread respect, including from Lionel Messi, whose brilliance proved decisive in the knockout clash.
It was a blockbuster contest in which Lionel Messi once again led Argentina from the front, scoring once and playing a key role in the other two goals. At the other end, Vozinha did everything he could to keep Cape Verde's dream alive, producing another outstanding display with eight saves. Despite his efforts, the defending champions found a way through to claim a hard-fought victory.
After the final whistle, the two veterans shared a warm embrace in a moment of mutual respect. One had spent the night stopping goals, the other creating and scoring them, and both left the pitch having added another memorable chapter to their World Cup journeys.
Speaking after the match, Vozinha revealed what Messi told him when the two met following Argentina's hard-fought victory.
“I went up to Messi after the game. He hugged me and said, 'You are great. Your people should be proud of you.' That was incredible for me,” said Vozinha.
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The veteran goalkeeper said Messi's gesture was one of the most memorable moments of his career. He further stated that after thanking the Argentine captain for his kind words, he asked if they could swap shirts following the match.
“Hearing 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.' Then I asked if we could swap shirts. Leo said he would give it to me in the tunnel after the interviews," he added.
“Moments like these remain engraved in your heart forever," he said.
Messi continues to script history
Meanwhile, Messi's strike in the 29th minute was the 20th World Cup goal of his career, extending his own record and putting him two clear of France's Kylian Mbappé on the all-time scoring list. It set the tone for a dramatic contest that turned into one of the most memorable matches of the tournament. Argentina eventually prevailed 3-2 after extra time, but only after being pushed to the limit by World Cup debutants Cape Verde, whose fearless display had the defending champions under pressure until the final whistle.
