Vozinha single-handedly thwarted Argentina’s repeated attacks throughout the match. He made a total of eight brilliant saves, including stopping five shots from Lionel Messi. After the 3-2 victory, the Argentine captain embraced Vozinha in an emotional moment before leaving the pitch.
Recounting Messi’s reaction, Vozinha said, “After the match, I approached Messi myself. He gave me a tight hug and said, ‘You played brilliantly. Your people should be proud of you today.’ Hearing such words from a legend like Leo Messi will remain one of the best and most emotional moments of my career.”
In response to Messi’s praise, he thanked him, saying, “Thank you, Leo; you are the greatest of all time.” When the Cape Verdean goalkeeper asked to swap jerseys, Messi readily agreed, stating that he would hand his shirt to Vozinha inside the tunnel after completing his post-match interview.
An emotional Vozinha said upon parting, “We went toe-to-toe with the world champions today; we even had a chance to win the match. We are proud today. This memory will be etched in my heart forever. I hope seeing us fight like this inspires the younger generation of our country to play in the world’s top leagues in the future.”
