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Argentina Star Lionel Messi has joked about the physical treatment he received from Cape Verde after Argentina edged the African side 3-2 to reach the World Cup round of 16.
Speaking after Friday’s match in Miami, Messi laughed that while Cape Verde’s players were quick to ask for his shirt and pose for selfies after the final whistle, they had been far less friendly during the game.
“They asked for my jersey, everything… On the field, they kick the crap out of me,” Messi joked, as quoted by TyC Sports.
Messi also praised Argentina’s effectiveness from set-pieces, noting that the team had been working on that aspect of their game for some time because of its importance in tournament football.
Despite the victory, the Argentina captain admitted the performance exposed areas that need improvement. He said his team lost control after taking the lead, struggled to retain possession and failed to press effectively.
“We lost possession, we sat back, we couldn’t press effectively,” he said.
The win secured Argentina‘s place in the last 16, where they will face Egypt, who advanced after defeating Australia in a penalty shootout.
Messi also reached another milestone during the match, scoring his 20th career World Cup goal.
