Cape Verde’s goalkeeper hero Vozinha broke down in tears following a stunning display as he denied the European champions and World number 3 ranked Spain victory in their World Cup Group H opener on Monday.
The 40-year-old, whose real name is Josimar José Évora Dias, became an overnight sensation with his Instagram following jumping from a modest 500,000 to nearly 5.7 million within a few hours of the full-time against La Roja.
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For the Blue Sharks shotstopper it wasn’t just his individual brilliance that edged the country’s name in history books. It was the fact that this was their first participation at the global stage, an ocassion that did not give them stage fright.
Vozinha was given his name by his grandparents who practically raised him while his father was in the military and his mother was working.
Fresh off Cabo Verde’s historic World Cup stalemate against Spain, Vozinha joined Men in Blazers to relive the biggest moment of his career where he became the oldest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on his WC debut.
Rather than talking about him keeping the Spaniards at bay, he instead focused on his country and what it means for them to grace the grandest football stage.
“After the World Cup, everyone will know who is Cape Verde and where is Cape Verde,” he said in a postmatch interview with Men in Blazers on YouTube.
“We are a small country, but we have a big heart and we are very resilient.
“We are proud to be Cape Verdean and we are here [at the World Cup] to show that we will fight everything.
“And we will do everything to put the name of Cape Verde to everyone.”
He made seven saves to earn the WC debutants their first big point against a star-studded Spain side boasting the likes of Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Gavi, Rodri, Marc Cucurella just to mention a few.
Vozinha plies his trade for Chaves in Portugal’s second-tier football league having started his club career at home with Batuque FC, before joining CS Mindelense.
He has also turned out for Progresso in Angola, Zimbru Chisinau in Moldova, Gil Vicente in Portugal, AEL Limassol in Cyprus, AS Trencin in Slovakia and then Chaves.
Cabo Verde have also been inducted by the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for their relentless feat.
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