{"id":251504,"date":"2026-07-05T10:31:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T10:31:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/05\/he-was-just-making-it-known-cabo-verde-defender-pico-lopes-reveals-what-lionel-messi-told-him-during-tense-half-time-exchange-at-fifa-world-cup\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T10:31:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T10:31:47","slug":"he-was-just-making-it-known-cabo-verde-defender-pico-lopes-reveals-what-lionel-messi-told-him-during-tense-half-time-exchange-at-fifa-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/05\/he-was-just-making-it-known-cabo-verde-defender-pico-lopes-reveals-what-lionel-messi-told-him-during-tense-half-time-exchange-at-fifa-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHe was just making it known\u201d &#8211; Cabo Verde defender Pico Lopes reveals what Lionel Messi told him during tense half-time exchange at FIFA World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content\" data-postid=\"5187859\" data-slug-id=\"2804156\">\n<div class=\"vidazoo-player-container\">\n<span class=\"vidazoo-close-btn  hidden \"><br \/>\n<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Cabo Verde defender Pico Lopes said that Lionel Messi took &#8216;exception&#8217; to a foul on him by Lopes during <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/team\/argentina-football\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Argentina<\/a>&#8216;s 3-2 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 win in extra time over the competition debutants on Friday (July 3) in Miami.<\/p>\n<p>Messi, 39, opened the scoring inside 29 minutes before the Blue Sharks equalised through Deroy Duarte to force extra time, where Lisandro Martinez&#8217;s strike was cancelled out by Sidny Lopes Cabral. However, Diney&#8217;s own goal nine minutes before the close eventually ended Lopes and Co.&#8217;s campaign.<\/p>\n<p><template id=\"template__newsletter-inline-banner-form-combo-widget\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<p><img id=\"subscribe-img\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\nThanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p>At half-time time, Lopes and Messi were involved in a tense exchange as they trudged off the pitch. Lopes told Cathal Dervan of OTS Media (via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.ie\/sport\/17236620\/pico-lopes-lionel-messi-half-time-world-cup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">The Sun<\/a>) about what the Argentine told him:<\/p>\n<p><template id=\"also-read-articles-template\"><\/p>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThere was nothing really to it. I think he took exception. I think I gave him a little push because he is just in front of me, and I wanted to make sure he stayed there because if he got in behind me, we saw what he could do last night.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cHe was just making it known that, \u2018that is a foul, you pushed me off the ball.\u2019 And I was like, \u2018I know, but I have to keep you there.&#8217; We spoke about it on the way into half-time, had a handshake, a little laugh, and we got on with it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Messi and Co. next take on Egypt at Atlanta on Tuesday (July 7) for a place in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>Lionel Messi in tight Golden Boot race as Argentina survive Cabo Verde scare in FIFA World Cup<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sk-app-thumbnail\" alt=\"Argentina vs Cabo Verde: Round of 32 - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Source: Getty\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy-img\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" data-img=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg 1920w\" alt=\"Argentina vs Cabo Verde: Round of 32 - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Source: Getty\" data-img-low=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/07\/d0427-17832387576237-1920.jpg?w=640\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,&lt;svg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%201279%22&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;\"\/><figcaption>Argentina vs Cabo Verde: Round of 32 &#8211; FIFA World Cup 2026 &#8211; Source: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/player\/lionel-messi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Lionel Messi<\/a> became the first player to score 20 FIFA World Cup goals as holders Argentina survived an almighty scare from competition debutants Cabo Verde in the Round of 32 on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>In the process, he broke a tie with Kylian Mbappe atop the Golden Boot leaderboard, becoming the first player to score seven times at two different World Cups. A day later, the France captain joined Messi in that club and a share of the Golden Boot lead by scoring in Les Bleus&#8217; 1-0 win over Paraguay on Saturday in the Round of 16.<\/p>\n<p>Playing in his sixth FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi is three wins away from joining an exclusive group of players to win the competition twice, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/player\/kylian-mbappe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Mbappe<\/a>&#8216;s France a likely opponent in the final.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-post-rating-widget\">\n<p><template id=\"post-rating-feedback-modal-template\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-feedback-box\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-content\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-data\">\n<p>Why did you not like this content?<\/p>\n<p><textarea id=\"dislike-feedback-text\" rows=\"4\" placeholder=\"Please type your feedback...\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<button class=\"close\">Cancel<\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"submit\">Submit<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-widget-parent hidden\">\n<div class=\"rating-parent-container\">\n<div class=\"rating-content-holder\">\n<p>Was this article helpful?<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-action-container\">\n<div class=\"like-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-like-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"like\" title=\"like article\"><br \/>\n<img class=\"post-like-image post-rating-image\" data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"like selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dislike-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-dislike-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"dislike\" title=\"dislike article\"><br \/>\n<img class=\"post-dis-like-image post-rating-image\" data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"avatar selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\nThank You for feedback\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tag-cloud\">\n<div class=\"tags-text\">\n<div class=\"scrollable-content-holder  article-padding\">\n<p class=\"article-p  \">Quick Links<\/p>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerLeft\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Left \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"background: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-left.svg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<nav id=\"pnProductNav\" class=\"pn-ProductNav\">\n<\/nav>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerRight\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Right \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"background: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-right.svg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<p>More from Sportskeeda<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<span class=\"publisher-name\">Edited by Bhargav<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/football\/news-he-just-making-known-cabo-verde-defender-pico-lopes-reveals-lionel-messi-told-tense-half-time-exchange-fifa-world-cup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cabo Verde defender Pico Lopes said that Lionel Messi took &#8216;exception&#8217; to a foul on him by Lopes during Argentina&#8216;s 3-2 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 win in extra time over the competition debutants on Friday (July 3) in Miami. 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