Lionel Messi's Gesture For Vozinha's Family Emerges After FIFA World Cup
By Shivam Kumar (SK), Senior Sports Reporter
Lionel Messi reportedly arranged for four members of Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha's family to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after the pair shared a memorable exchange following Argentina's dramatic Round of 32 victory. The claim was reported by Goal.com, citing Chilean publication La Tercera, after Vozinha revealed details of his interaction with the Argentina captain.
The reported gesture came after Argentina edged Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in the Round of 32. Although Lionel Scaloni's side progressed, they were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. Messi's actions have since drawn attention alongside the admiration expressed by Cape Verde's veteran goalkeeper following the knockout clash.
What Led To Lionel Messi's Gesture Towards Vozinha
Cape Verde reached the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup for the first time in the nation's history and pushed defending champions Argentina all the way to extra time. Vozinha played a central role in the contest, producing a series of important saves to frustrate Messi and his teammates.
According to Goal.com, Messi later instructed his representatives to secure complimentary tickets for four members of Vozinha's family so they could watch the World Cup final from the stands. The report cites La Tercera as the original source of the claim.
The reported gesture followed an emotional conversation between the two players immediately after Argentina's victory.
"You are great. Your people should be proud of you."
Vozinha Describes His Meeting With Lionel Messi
Speaking about the exchange, Vozinha said the conversation became one of the most memorable moments of his career.
"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 said, as quoted by La Tercera via Goal.com.
The Cape Verde goalkeeper also revealed he asked Messi to swap shirts following 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 tunnel after the interview."
The exchange reflected the mutual respect between the two players after one of the most competitive knockout matches of Argentina's campaign.
STATS
- Match: Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde (after extra time)
- Tournament: FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32
- Messi's Tournament Goals: 7
- Cape Verde Milestone: First FIFA World Cup knockout-stage appearance
Argentina Survived A Major Scare Before Reaching The Final
Argentina's progress was anything but straightforward. Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute after controlling Lisandro Martinez's diagonal pass before finishing emphatically into the roof of the net.
Cape Verde equalised shortly before the hour through Deroy Duarte after Ryan Mendes released him into space, marking the nation's first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout-stage goal.
Vozinha then frustrated Argentina with several saves, particularly from Messi, forcing the contest into extra time.
Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina's lead in the 92nd minute, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to level again with a curling strike in the 103rd minute. The decisive goal arrived in the 111th minute when Cristian Romero headed home from Messi's corner, with the effort taking a slight deflection off Diney Borges.
Cape Verde almost forced penalties in the closing moments, but Emiliano Martinez denied Lopes Cabral's powerful free-kick to send Argentina through.
Argentina eventually reached the World Cup final before losing 1-0 to Spain, while Cape Verde departed the tournament having earned widespread praise for an historic campaign and an impressive performance against one of football's leading nations.