Lionel Messi's gesture leaves Cape Verde goalkeeper speechless after World Cup exit

Despite the minnows suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat to Argentina, the shot-stopper's outstanding performance did not go unnoticed by the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Vozinha was the standout performer in Cape Verde's historic World Cup campaign, making 18 saves across four matches. He produced a string of remarkable stops against Argentina to keep his side in the contest until the final whistle.

The veteran goalkeeper revealed an unforgettable post-match moment with Messi that he says will stay with him forever.

"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 told La Tercera.

The memorable exchange did not end there, with Vozinha also asking the Argentina captain for a shirt swap.

"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," he added.

Vozinha and the rest of the Cape Verde squad returned home to a heroes' welcome over the weekend, with thousands of supporters gathering at the airport to celebrate the team's historic World Cup run despite their round-of-16 exit.