After Vozinho’s heroics, his mother secures an American visa to watch Cape Verde at the World Cup
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha is set for an emotional World Cup reunion after US officials moved to ensure his mother can travel to the United States in time to watch him play against Uruguay on Sunday.
The 40-year-old emerged as one of the early stars of the tournament this week after making a string of superb saves to help Cape Verde hold Spain to a shock 0-0 draw in the country’s first-ever World Cup match.
But in the midst of celebration, Vozinha revealed that his mother, Ana Candida Evora, was unable to travel to the United States due to visa issues.
This situation is now expected to be resolved.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced Wednesday that he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and urged the State Department to do everything possible to allow Evora to participate in Cape Verde’s next Group H match in Miami.
“No mother should miss the opportunity to see her child make history,” Jeffries said in a statement, according to the AP.
Jeffries said all charges have been waived and travel arrangements are being made to get Evora to Sunday’s game.
THE MAKING OF HISTORY
The development comes just days after Vozinha emerged as one of the breakout stars of the World Cup.
Spain entered the tournament as overwhelming favorites against Cape Verde, one of the smallest nations in the competition. Instead, they were repeatedly frustrated by the veteran goalkeeper, who produced seven saves to preserve the famous draw.
The performance quickly attracted worldwide attention and turned Vozinha into one of the stories of the tournament’s opening week.
But after the match, the goalkeeper revealed that his mother was not in the stands to witness the biggest moment of his career.
Vozinha said she was unable to secure the documents needed to travel to the United States in time for the match.
VISAS BREAKTHROUGH
The matter unfolded against the backdrop of tougher US immigration measures that initially required citizens from dozens of countries, including Cape Verde, to post bonds of up to US$15,000 when seeking entry into the country.
The Trump administration later suspended that requirement for World Cup ticket holders and their families, but critics said the move came too late for many supporters hoping to attend the tournament.
The State Department previously said it had no record of Evora applying for a visa, but was working with Cape Verdean authorities to resolve the situation, according to the AP.
A US State Department official later told Reuters that visa staff in Praia were working closely with her to complete the process.
“We can confirm that our visa team in Praia is in close contact with her and providing the necessary services,” the official said in a statement provided to Reuters.
Reuters also reported that officials believe part of the delay stemmed from the fact that Evora did not have a valid Cape Verdean passport when she first traveled to the United States, an issue that is now being addressed.
REUNION IN MIAMI
The expected arrival of Vozinho’s mother adds another uplifting chapter to Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup story.
The island nation have already exceeded expectations by taking a point from Spain on their tournament debut and now head into Sunday’s meeting with Uruguay believing another surprise could be in store.
But for Vozinha, the most important moment may come before kick-off.
After becoming one of the faces of the tournament with his heroics against Spain, the goalkeeper is now expected to have his mother in the stands to witness the next chapter of a World Cup journey that has already captured the imagination of fans around the world.
For a player who waited until he was 40 to make his World Cup debut, sharing that moment with his family can mean as much as any result on the pitch.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
18 Jun 2026 05:27 IST