Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinho revealed the heartfelt message he received from Lionel Messi after his team’s valiant performance against Argentina on FIFA World Cup.Despite losing 3-2 after extra time, World Cup debutants Cape Verde earned widespread plaudits for pushing defending champions Argentina to the limit. Goalkeeper Vozinha played a key role in keeping his side in the contest, making eight saves against a Messi-led Argentina attack.After the final whistle, Messi and Vozinha shared an emotional moment, and the Argentine captain praised the exceptional effort of the Cape Verde team.“I approached Messi after the game. He hugged me and said: ‘You are great. Your people should be proud of you.’ “It was incredible for me,” Vozinha said.The veteran goalkeeper described Messi’s gesture as one of the most special moments of his career. After thanking the Argentine star, Vozinha asked if they could exchange shirts.“To hear such words 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 conversation,” he added.“Moments like these stay etched in your heart forever,” he said.While Cape Verde’s historic run at the World Cup came to an end, the team’s fearless display drew admiration from across the footballing world. Messi again led Argentina from the start, scoring his 20th World Cup goal — extending his own record and moving two goals ahead of Kylian Mbappé on the tournament’s all-time scoring 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.
