Lionel Messi has joked about the physical treatment he endured from Cape Verde during Argentina’s World Cup last-16 qualifier.
He joked that his opponents “kick the crap” out of him on the field before lining up to request his shirt and a selfie.
After Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Cape Verde at the World Cup in Miami on Friday, Messi posed for photos and shirts with the players, according to Goal.com.
Messi shared a light-hearted moment with Cape Verde’s players after Argentina earned a 3-2 victory at the World Cup in Miami on Friday.
Several Cape Verde players waited behind after the final whistle to ask him for shirts and photographs, and he happily obliged.
Argentina was pushed hard throughout the match by their tough opponents.
“They asked for my jersey, everything… On the field, they kick the crap out of me,” Messi joked, as quoted by TyC Sports.
He also hailed set-pieces for the victory, pointing out that Argentina had struggled to convert from them in recent games.
“We’ve been working on it for a while, both offensively and defensively. In a competition like this, it’s important.”
Argentina advanced to the next round, although Messi recognized that the performance had room for improvement. He claimed his team lost control after grabbing the lead rather than capitalizing on their early advantage.
“We lost possession, we sat back, and we couldn’t press effectively,” he replied.
Argentina’s victory secured their place in the last 16, where they will face Egypt, who advanced on penalties against Australia.
Messi also achieved a personal milestone by scoring his 20th career World Cup goal.
