Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has revealed the heartfelt words Lionel Messi shared with him following his country's spirited FIFA World Cup 2026 exit against Argentina.
Despite Cape Verde's elimination in the Round of 32, the veteran goalkeeper earned widespread praise for his outstanding display, with Messi personally acknowledging his performance after the final whistle.
Vozinha shines despite Cape Verde's exit
Cape Verde pushed defending champions Argentina all the way before eventually losing 3-2 after extra time.
Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his 20th FIFA World Cup goal, but the tournament debutants twice fought back to level the match before Argentina struck the winner in the 111th minute.
Vozinha was instrumental in keeping Cape Verde in the contest, making several
crucial saves against the reigning world champions.
Over the course of the tournament, the goalkeeper registered 18 saves in four matches and finished with an impressive 78.3% save percentage after facing 74 shots.
Lionel Messi's touching message
After the match, Vozinha approached Messi and was left emotional by the Argentina captain's words.
"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. Hearing words like that from someone like Leo Messi means a lot to me. "
The goalkeeper also revealed he asked Messi to exchange shirts after the match.
"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 tunnels after the interview. "
Cape Verde leave with heads held high
Although their World Cup journey ended in the knockout stage, Cape Verde emerged as one of the tournament's biggest surprise packages.
The African nation progressed from a difficult group ahead of Uruguay and Saudi Arabia before giving Argentina a stern test in an unforgettable Round of 32 encounter.
Reflecting on the campaign, Vozinha said the team had every reason to be proud.
"We played against the current world champion and today, playing on equal terms and also having the opportunity to win the game. for us, we have to be very, very satisfied and proud. "
While disappointed to see their historic run come to an end, the goalkeeper believes Cape Verde's future is bright.
"We have a fantastic group, players with a lot of quality, and who knows, hopefully we will see these young guys, these players, playing in the best leagues in the world. "
Cape Verde may have exited the tournament, but their fearless performances-and Messi's gesture towards Vozinha-ensured their maiden World Cup campaign ended on a memorable note.
