The 40-year-old goalkeeper who left Spain helpless — few knew about the 14 quiet years before that night #worldcup2026 #capeverde #vozinha
"At 40 years old, a goalkeeper made his World Cup debut. In just 90 minutes, he became the name the entire football world was searching for. His name is Vozinha, goalkeeper for Cape Verde. Over 14 years since 2012, he played for clubs in Angola, Moldova, Portugal, Cyprus, and Slovakia, before finally making his first World Cup appearance. Vozinha isn't his real name. His full name is Josimar Jose Evora Dias. The nickname in Portuguese means little grandma, a name his grandparents gave him as a child. In his World Cup debut on June 15th, he made save after save for the full 90 minutes against reigning European champion Spain, denying Ferran Torres, Pedri, and Imeric Laporte. Voted man of the match, he helped Cape Verde secure a historic draw. Before the match, his Instagram account had just 500,000 followers. A few hours after the final whistle, that number nearly hit five million, almost a ten-fold jump in a single night. After the match, he broke down in tears and said, I'm crying because I grew up with my grandparents, but they're not here. They passed away a few years ago, and they did everything for me and for my life. But he isn't an overnight sensation. Before that night, he had quietly played for years across six countries, mostly in lower-tier leagues, with almost no one knowing his name. The world thought it had just discovered him, but really, he was only just being seen after years of going unnoticed."
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The 40-year-old goalkeeper who left Spain helpless — few knew about the 14 quiet years before that night #worldcup2026 #capeverde #vozinha