The Cape Verde goalkeeper now has 22 times the number of fans on Instagram than the population of his country

The FIFA World Cup has an unrivaled ability to change the life of any footballer in the world. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha learned this first hand after his Instagram following soared to an astronomical 11.8 million – almost 22 times the entire 530,000 population of his home nation.

But behind the viral metrics and the euphoria of a legendary clean sheet lies a deeply moving human story.

VONZINGHA: THE WALL THAT STOPPED SPAIN

In their World Cup debut in Atlanta, the small African island nation faced favorites Spain, who completely dominated possession with 75% of the ball. However, they ran right into a 40-year-old brick wall.

Vozinha – real name Josimar Dias – showed a master class at the finish line. The veteran shot-stopper single-handedly thwarted Spain’s star-studded forward line, making seven crucial saves to deny the likes of Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal and eventually secure a historic 0-0 draw.

While the football world was reeling in disbelief at the result, one woman wasn’t the least bit surprised. The day before the match, Vozinha’s 59-year-old mother, Ana Candida Evora, confidently predicted on local state television that no one would score past her son.

“I said no ball would go into his goal and that’s exactly what happened,” Evora told Reuters.

VOZINHA IN TEARS AFTER THE SPAIN MATCH

Despite the post-match celebrations and the sudden outburst on social media, Vozinha broke down in tears on the pitch after the final whistle. He later revealed to reporters that his emotional release was mixed with sadness as his mother could not travel in person to see his heroics due to a visa issue.

Earlier this year, Cape Verde was placed on a US list that required citizens to post bonds of up to US$15,000 in advance upon entering the country. While Washington last month dropped a requirement that World Cup ticket holders facilitate travel to tournaments, high flight costs and late notices have already forced Vora to rule out the 6,400km trip.

“I would have liked to travel and watch the game, but it was not possible,” she said.

The story has since caught the attention of US political leaders, with House Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly asking the State Department to step in and expedite her paperwork so she can attend Cape Verde’s next match against Uruguay on Sunday.

Back home, the island nation continues its all-night celebrations, fueled by maternal pride and a goalkeeper who has become a global sensation in just 90 minutes.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

17 Jun 2026 19:32 IST