One of the most memorable journeys in the 2026 FIFA World Cup was easily that of Cape Verde, the tiny African archipelago ranked 67th in the world in what was its tournament debut.
Drawn into a tough group alongside finalists Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, the Blue Sharks opened their campaign with a remarkable goalless draw against Spain, subsequently tying 2-2 with Uruguay before another goalless stalemate against Saudi Arabia.
Having finished second in the group, they went on to face finalists and reigning champions Argentina in the Round of 32, pushing them into extra time with the game tied 1-1 at the end of regulation. After Lisandro Martínez put Argentina ahead early in extra time, Sidny Lopes Cabral scored what may prove to be the goal of the tournament later in the first half to tie the game once again.
Unfortunately for Cape Verde, an 111th-minute own goal from Diney proved their undoing, knocking them out of the tournament. Despite this, they returned home to a heroes welcome and a parade as many of the just over 500,000 inhabitants flocked to rightfully celebrate their national team’s accomplishments.
Arguably the biggest individual star to emerge from their memorable run was goalkeeper Vozinha, who captured the attention of millions during their opening win against Spain. The 40-year-old entered the game with around 50,000 followers on Instagram, with this having since rocketed to 29.3 million.
Many were not only drawn in by his performances and his emotional reaction post-game, but also by learning about how his mom was unable to attend the game due to unspecified visa issues. Afterward, politicians came together to organize a visa and passage for his mom, Ana Candida Evora.
Reflecting on his newfound fame during a recent appearance on CBS Mornings, Vozinha explained, “I'm very grateful and very happy for everything that happened in my life. Of course, I never expect that.
“But it's been like crazy, insane, because I’m used to being around people, I play football. So in the football, you’re used to being around people. But now it's something that I never expect. And for me, it's also a little bit difficult, because… I like to connect with people.
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“In Cape Verde, we like to welcome people. We can cook in the street, for example, and eat in front of the door. But from now on, I can't do that. But in the end, I'm very happy because before we used to say we are from Cabo Verde or Cape Verde. And when you say that everywhere in the world, people say, ‘Where is that?’
“And then just to show our country to the world, and we don't need anymore to say that. People know. I think it's the best thing that can happen.”
For Vozinha, this level of fame at this stage in his career is likely particularly unexpected given that he didn’t turn professional until he was 25 years old. In the years since, he has enjoyed stints in Cape Verde, Angola, Moldova, Portugal, Cyprus, and Slovakia. Most recently, he spent two seasons in the Portuguese second division with G.D. Chaves, leaving the club this summer.
Looking back at this journey, Vozinha said, “First of all, I think from when I was born and from when I was a child, I always had a dream to be a professional player.
“In our country, the chance we had to be professional in sport, it's very small because we are African, we are Cape Verdean. And first of all, you have to fight for the visa. It's the first kind of thing. And even [though] we have a lot of quality in a small country, it's hard.
“And also, how to say it, when you are in Cape Verde, no one can watch you. We don't have the facilities, the condition. And even you are like, we have a lot of talent there, and even from past, they never had the opportunity, for example, to go to Europe.
“And when you can develop, for example, the people, the coach we have, they do a lot for us. But in the end, they don't have the knowledge. Even they were ex-football players, but they never studied.”
This lack of attention from scouts worldwide is no longer an issue for Vozinha, who now needs to make a decision regarding his next steps in soccer. “To be here at 40 years old, its because I really have this passion,” he said.
“I want to play at least one, two years. How my body feel and react, because the day of tomorrow, you never know. But I want to play and I hope I can find a team that really wants me as a football player, not a marketing person.”
Source: Alloutsoccer.com
