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Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has revealed a deeply moving exchange with Lionel Messi following his team’s narrow elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Argentina. Despite the underdogs falling just short, the veteran shot-stopper’s outstanding performance caught the eye of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Cape Verde came perilously close to pulling off a major upset against Messi’s Argentina in the round of 32. The Argentine captain opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his 20th World Cup goal, but Cape Verde fought back valiantly, equalising twice during normal time. Their spirited resistance eventually ended in the 111th minute when Argentina scored a decisive third to seal the contest.

Throughout Cape Verde’s inspiring campaign, Vozinha stood tall as their undisputed hero. Across four matches, he made 18 crucial saves, several of them spectacular, including a series of world-class stops against Argentina that kept his side in contention until the final whistle.

Sharing his emotions after the game, Vozinha spoke about a touching post-match moment with Messi that he said would remain etched in his memory forever. The goalkeeper recounted: “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.”

Vozinha added that the moment continued beyond that exchange. “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.”

The Cape Verde goalkeeper returned home as a national hero, having posted a 78.3% save rate from 74 shots faced during the tournament — a testament to his consistency and composure on the biggest stage.

Cape Verde’s remarkable run defied expectations. They qualified ahead of strong sides like Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, then held their own against the reigning world champions in a match that will live long in the memories of their supporters.

Reflecting on their journey, Vozinha said: “We played against the current world champion and today we competed on equal terms, even had the chance to win... for us, we must be very, very satisfied and proud. Of course, we are sad because we didn’t want our run to end here, but I am so grateful for everything. I want to thank all my teammates, the coaching staff, the federation, and all the fans who came to support us.”

He continued, “Now it’s time to look ahead. We have an excellent group, players with great quality, and who knows — maybe we’ll soon see these young players competing in the best leagues in the world.”

Vozinha’s story also took off beyond the pitch. After his heroic performance in Cape Verde’s stunning 0-0 draw against Spain in the group stage, he became one of the breakout stars of the tournament. Entering the World Cup with around 50,000 Instagram followers, his online following skyrocketed to nearly 14 million within 24 hours of that match, as global fans discovered the 40-year-old journeyman’s extraordinary journey.

Since then, his popularity has continued to soar. Vozinha’s Instagram following has now surpassed 23.8 million — a remarkable leap for a player who began the tournament as a free agent, having left Portuguese second-division club Chaves. His rise reflects how his courage and performances against some of football’s biggest icons have resonated with fans worldwide.