*This content was translated by AI.
"The god of football" Lionel Messi (39) was also captivated. Cape Verde national team goalkeeper Bozhidar (40) has garnered global attention from soccer fans worldwide with his outstanding performance.
On the 4th (Korean time), Cape Verde played against Argentina at Miami Stadium in the United States in the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup Round of 32 match. They finished both halves tied 1-1, forcing the game into extra time, but ultimately lost 2-3 after a grueling extra-time battle.
Although Cape Verde was eliminated, goalkeeper Bozhidar made eight crucial saves over the full 120 minutes, putting pressure on tournament favorite Argentina.
Following the match, Messi, the captain of Argentina and "the god of football," continued to praise him. According to Spain's Cadena SER, in the mixed zone after the game, Messi hugged Bozhidar first to offer encouragement. Messi told Bozhidar, "You are an unbelievably great player. Your country will be proud of you."
Additionally, through a media interview, Messi highly praised him, saying, "I didn't know this 40-year-old player before the World Cup, but I was truly amazed by his performance today." Bozhidar expressed his gratitude to Messi and requested an exchange of jerseys. Messi readily agreed to swap jerseys after the interview.
Cape Verde, a small African nation with a population of 520,000, caused a sensation in its first-ever World Cup appearance. In the group stage, it secured draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, earning three points and achieving its historic first qualification for the Round of 32.
Bozhidar recorded a total of 18 saves across four matches in this tournament, guarding his team's goal. Global interest in him also appeared on social media (SNS). As of the afternoon of the 5th, Bozhidar's Instagram follower count had surpassed 25.25 million, up from around 50,000 before the tournament began—a staggering increase of approximately 25 million followers.
Meanwhile, Argentina, which defeated Cape Verde to advance to the Round of 16, will face Egypt in Atlanta, USA, on the 8th. Egypt advanced to the Round of 16 after defeating Australia via a penalty shootout in the Round of 32 match.
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*This content was translated by AI.
