Who is Vozinha? The ageless Cape Verdean hero who held Spain at bay for a famous point
Most players dream of making their FIFA World Cup debut in their twenties. Vozinha had to wait until he was 40 years old.
The Cape Verde goalkeeper finally stepped onto football’s biggest stage on Monday and responded with the performance of his life, making a series of superb saves to help his nation secure a memorable 0-0 draw against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As Spain’s star-studded attack relentlessly pushed for a breakthrough, the veteran goalkeeper stood tall. By the final whistle, Vozinha made seven saves and became one of the stories of the tournament.
THE WORLD CUP DREAM
Vozinha was born Josimar Jose Evora Dias in Mindelo, Cape Verde, and his journey to the World Cup was anything but straightforward.
The goalkeeper spent years building his career in Cape Verde, Moldova, Romania, Cyprus and Portugal, away from the limelight enjoyed by many of football’s biggest stars. Through it all, he remained a constant presence in his national team and earned a reputation as one of Cape Verde’s most reliable players.
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Vozinha now plays for Portuguese club Chaves and came to the tournament with almost 15 years of international experience under his belt. Despite representing Cape Verde since 2012, he has never appeared on football’s biggest stage.
That finally changed against Spain.
HERO AGAINST SPAIN
If there were any misgivings about the occasion overwhelming him, Vozinha was quick to put them to rest.
Spain dominated the Group H match and created more chances, but the breakthrough never came.
At the end of the first half, Ferran Torres hit the crossbar from close range before Vozinha responded brilliantly to Mikel Oyarzabal’s header from the rebound.
The pressure continued after the break. Torres was again denied, while Aymeric Laporte also failed to beat the experienced goalkeeper as Spain desperately searched for a winner.
Not even the introduction of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal could change the result.
At full-time, Vozinha made seven saves and produced one of the best individual performances of the tournament.
HISTORY IN THE 40’S
The result represented a watershed moment for Cape Verde, but it was also a historic night for their goalkeeper.
At 40, Vozinha became the second oldest player ever to make his World Cup debut. Only former Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 45 when he appeared in the 2018 tournament, was older.
The achievement was the latest milestone in a remarkable international career that began in 2012. Now, with 90 caps for Cape Verde, Vozinha has become one of the country’s most influential footballers and a symbol of its rise on the international stage.
On one memorable night in Atlanta, the veteran goalkeeper was more than Cape Verde’s captain and last line of defence.
He was the reason Spain couldn’t win.
And at an age when most players have long since retired, Vozinha announced himself to the world.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
June 16, 2026 0:01 AM IST