Messi said Cape Verde kicked him in their World Cup clash

Lionel Messi has laughed off the physical treatment he received from Cape Verde during Argentina’s World Cup last-16 qualifier

He joked that his opponents “kick the crap” out of him on the pitch, before lining up afterwards to request his shirt and a selfie. Messi shared a light-hearted moment with Cape Verde’s players after Argentina secured 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, Goal.com reports. Argentina had been pushed hard throughout the encounter by their determined 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 credited set-pieces for the win, noting that Argentina had struggled to convert from them in recent matches. “We’ve been working on it for a while, both offensively and defensively. In a competition like this, it’s important.”

Argentina progressed to the next round, but Messi admitted the performance left room for improvement. He said his side lost control after taking the lead instead of building on their early advantage. “We lost possession, we sat back, we couldn’t press effectively,” he said.

Argentina’s win booked their place in the last 16, where they will face Egypt after the North Africans progressed on penalties against Australia. Messi also reached a personal milestone, netting his 20th career World Cup goal.