Cape Verde and their goalkeeper Vozinha had a memorable FIFA World Cup 2026 debut, despite going down 3-2 to Argentina in a valiantly contested match in Miami. Cape Verde remained unbeaten against 2010 champions and eventual winners Spain, as well as two-time former champions Uruguay in the group stage. Then, in the Round of 32, Cape Verde were level at 2-2 until the 111th minute before an own goal saw Argentina take a 3-2 lead. Vozinha made a total of 18 saves in the tournament; the only goalkeepers aged 40 or older to register more saves at a single World Cup are Peter Shilton (28 in 1990 for England) and Dino Zoff (27 in 1982 for Italy), according to OptaJoe.

Now, a report in Goal.com has claimed that Messi apparently instructed his representatives to secure free tickets for four of Vozinha’s family members so that they could attend the final from the stands. Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the final.

Speaking after the match, Vozinha said Messi hugged him and offered words of encouragement that deeply moved the goalkeeper, according to La Tercera, as quoted by Goal.com.

Speaking after the match, Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha revealed a touching post-match moment with Messi that he says will stay with him forever. The goalkeeper recounted the exchange, saying, as quoted by La Tercera: “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 Cape Verde goalkeeper further revealed that he requested Messi’s shirt as a keepsake from the meeting, adding that the Argentina captain agreed to the exchange after completing his post-match media duties.

He added that the moment did not end there, revealing that he had asked the Argentine captain for a keepsake from the encounter: “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 interview.”

Coming to the match, Cape Verde, making their first appearance in the World Cup knockout stages, started brightly and tested Argentina early through Ryan Mendes before the South American giants gradually asserted control.

The breakthrough came in the 29th minute when Lionel Messi produced a moment of brilliance, controlling Lisandro Martinez’s diagonal pass before firing into the roof of the net. The strike marked his seventh goal of the tournament, taking him to the top of the Golden Boot standings.

Argentina looked comfortable before halftime, but Cape Verde returned with renewed intensity after the break. Their persistence paid off just before the hour mark when Mendes released Deroy Duarte, who finished confidently from a tight angle to score his country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout-stage goal and level the contest.

Despite creating several chances, Argentina were repeatedly denied by veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, whose outstanding saves from Messi kept the scores level and forced the match into extra time.

Argentina restored their advantage almost immediately after extra time began as Lisandro Martinez converted from close range following a corner in the 92nd minute. Yet Cape Verde refused to back down, with Sidny Lopes Cabral producing a stunning curling effort in the 103rd minute from a tight angle to make it 2-2 once again.

The decisive moment came in the second half of extra time when Messi’s corner was met by Romero, whose powerful header took a slight deflection off Diney Borges before finding the back of the net in the 111th minute.

Cape Verde nearly forced penalties late on, but Emiliano Martinez produced a vital save to deny Lopes Cabral’s powerful free-kick and secure Argentina’s progress.

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