Cape Verde goalkeeper, Vozinha became one of the unexpected stars of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but has revealed that he misses the peace and tranquility he enjoyed before his remarkable World Cup performances.
From a relatively private life to being recognised almost everywhere he goes, a lot has changed according to the 40-year-old.
Vozinha shot to global prominence in June when he produced a series of outstanding saves to help Cape Verde hold eventual champions Spain to a goalless draw on their World Cup debut.
The result gave Cape Verde their first-ever point at the tournament, while Vozinha quickly became one of the most talked-about goalkeepers in the competition.
His social media following reflected the sudden transformation.
His follower count reportedly jumped from around 50,000 to more than one million during the Spain game.
But the attention did not stop there.
Cape Verde went on to push Argentina all the way in the round of 32 before eventually losing 3-2 after extra time, with Lionel Messi and the holders surviving a major scare.
‘I’d Choose My Old Life’ - Vozinha
The World Cup turned Vozinha into an overnight celebrity, but the goalkeeper says the price of that fame has been his privacy.
"I've lost my peace and tranquillity," he told the Observer.
"I no longer have any privacy, or at least much less than I used to."
"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."
For a goalkeeper who entered the World Cup without a club after his contract with Portuguese second-tier side Chaves expired, the transformation has been remarkable.
Within weeks, Vozinha had gone from preparing for his next career move to becoming one of the faces of Cape Verde's historic World Cup campaign.
Even His Mother Has Felt the Spotlight
Vozinha's newfound fame has extended beyond him and into his family.
His mother became part of the World Cup story after the goalkeeper revealed that she could not afford the visa fee required to watch his historic debut.
US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries subsequently announced that the visa fee had been waived, but the attention did not end after the tournament.
Vozinha revealed that his mother is now visited daily by fans who want to speak to him or take photographs with him.
The goalkeeper says that experience has given him a different perspective on what it means to become famous.
"A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality," said Vozinha.
"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."
From World Cup Hero to Ballon d'Or Nominee
Despite his discomfort with fame, Vozinha's performances have earned him recognition far beyond Cape Verde.
His displays at the World Cup earned him a nomination for men's goalkeeper of the year at the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards.
The achievement is another remarkable chapter in the career of a goalkeeper who has played club football in Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and Portugal.
Vozinha, however, has been quick to reject the idea that Cape Verde's historic campaign was down to him alone.
"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," Vozinha said.
The goalkeeper believes the country's success can mean more than football if the momentum generated by the World Cup is properly harnessed.
"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."
A New Chapter at Colo Colo
Vozinha's World Cup performances also helped revive his club career.
The experienced goalkeeper arrived at the tournament without a club following the expiration of his Chaves contract.
He has now found a new home, joining Chilean side Colo Colo, according to club president Anibal Mosa.
It gives the 40-year-old another opportunity to continue playing after an extraordinary World Cup campaign that transformed his profile around the world.
Cape Verde, meanwhile, have already secured their place in football history.
The West African island nation, with a population of around 525,000, became the second-smallest country ever to reach the World Cup finals.
They then stunned Spain, pushed Argentina into extra time and watched their goalkeeper become an international sensation.
88.9 FM
Wrap up with Adebanjo Ogunseye and Joseph Obisesan
Comments
0Be the first to comment on this article.