Cabo Verde gave the Argentine team a run for their money in their bout for the 2026 World Cup title. The defending champions were neck and neck with the Argentine team. In the end, however, the defending champions came up on top with a 3-2 victory over the World Cup debutant.

As is often the tradition in football, where players exchange jerseys after matches as a mark of mutual respect, the 40-year-old goalkeeper from Cabo Verde, Vozinha, has revealed what Argentine maestro Lionel Messi told him before swapping shirts following their hard-fought encounter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to Vozinha:

“I went up to Messi after the game… he hugged me and said: you are great, your people should be proud of you.”

He went to share how much those words meant to him adding:

“That was incredible for me. 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 was gonna give it to me in the tunnel after the interviews. Moments like these remain engraved in your heart forever.”

Read Also: How Erling Haaland Turned the 2026 World Cup Into His Personal Highlight Reel

What’s Next for Cabo Verde and Goalkeeper Vozinha?

Although Cabo Verde’s remarkable 2026 FIFA World Cup journey came to an end with a narrow defeat to Argentina, the Blue Sharks leave the tournament with plenty to be proud of. Cabp Verde was knocked out in the Round of 32 after a dramatic 3–2 extra-time defeat to defending champions Argentina national football team. The match was level twice before an extra-time own goal sent Argentina through to the Round of 16. Their performances on the global stage earned widespread praise, while veteran goalkeeper Vozinha further cemented his status as one of the nation’s greatest footballers.

Currently, Vozinha is a free agent after the expiration of his contract with Portuguese second division side GD Chaves. It will be interesting to see where he goes next after his impressive 2026 campaign.