Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha reflects on sudden fame after World Cup heroics
September 28, 2026 15:23
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha says he longs for the “peace and tranquillity” of the life he led before becoming a global figure at the World Cup. The 40-year-old rose to prominence in June when he helped keep Spain to a 0-0 draw on Cape Verde’s World Cup debut, and his profile grew further after Cape Verde took Argentina to extra time in the round of 32.
LIFE AFTER THE TOURNAMENT
Vozinha described how everyday activities have changed: “Now I go out, I go to a restaurant, and there's always someone who wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph. Or, worse, someone is filming me. That's what has changed most in my life, and I don't think there's anything I can do about it.”
His social-media following rose sharply during the Spain game — from about 50,000 to more than one million — and the image caption in the original report notes he now has more than 28 million Instagram followers. His mother, who could not initially afford a visa to watch his World Cup debut, received help after US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the visa fee had been waived; Vozinha says his mother is now visited daily by fans wanting to meet her or take photographs.
RECOGNITION AND MESSAGE
Vozinha’s World Cup displays earned him a nomination for men’s goalkeeper of the year at the Ballon d’Or awards. He stressed the team nature of Cape Verde’s achievement: “It's nice to feel like a kind of ambassador, but I want to make it clear that what we achieved was a collective effort.” He added: “We made history and the best news would be if we could harness that momentum to develop our country and improve the living conditions of our people.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION
On fame, he offered a candid view: “A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality,” and admitted, “To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the life I had before, I'd choose the one I had before.”
Source: BBC Sport Football
KEY FACTS
- Age: 40
- Cape Verde population: 525,000
- Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: World Cup debut for Cape Verde (June)
- Argentina match: Cape Verde pushed Argentina to extra time in the round of 32
- Ballon d'Or: Vozinha nominated for men's goalkeeper of the year
- Social media: followers rose from ~50,000 to over 1 million during the Spain game; caption notes more than 28 million Instagram followers
- Visa: Hakeem Jeffries announced the visa fee for Vozinha’s mother had been waived