The 40-year-old shot-stopper broke down in tears of joy at the final whistle as his teammates surrounded him in celebration, thanking him for his heroic performance against a Spanish side widely regarded as one of the tournament favorites.
Cape Verde spent much of the match under intense pressure from Spain. However, whenever the Spaniards found gaps in the defense, Vozinha stood firm. He produced a series of remarkable saves to deny what seemed certain goals, particularly late in the first half when he kept out efforts from Ferran Torres, Pedri, and Aymeric Laporte.
His outstanding display earned him the Player of the Match award and quickly turned him into one of the most talked-about players of the tournament.
Vozinha currently plays for Chaves, a club competing in Portugal’s second division. Although the World Cup represents the biggest stage of his career, his football journey began at home in Cape Verde with Batuque FC, before moving to CS Mindelense.
Throughout his career, he has played for several clubs across Africa and Europe, including Progresso of Angola, Zimbru Chișinău of Moldova, Gil Vicente of Portugal, AEL Limassol of Cyprus, and AS Trenčín of Slovakia, before joining Chaves.
Interestingly, Vozinha is not his real name. The goalkeeper’s actual name is Josimar José Évora Dias. His nickname was inspired by the grandparents who raised him for much of his childhood, as his father served in the military and his mother worked a regular job. In Portuguese, “Vozinha” means “little grandmother.”
He has said that he continued using the nickname because that was how people in Cape Verde knew him. He once explained that upon arriving in Angola, he discovered there was already another goalkeeper named Josimar, prompting him to stick with “Vozinha” rather than wear a jersey labeled “Josimar II.”
After the match against Spain, Vozinha expressed immense pride in representing his country. The occasion carried deep emotional significance because the grandparents who had raised him were no longer alive to witness the moment, despite the crucial role they had played in shaping his life.
He also spoke about his disappointment that his mother had been unable to travel to the United States to support him because of difficulties obtaining a visa and the financial burden associated with the process.
His performance transformed him into an overnight sensation. Within hours of the final whistle, the number of followers on his Instagram account reportedly surged from around 500,000 to nearly five million.
French midfielder Paul Pogba was among those who praised him on social media, describing the Cape Verdean goalkeeper as “extraordinary.”
For Cape Verde, one of the smallest nations ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, the draw against Spain was a historic achievement.
For Vozinha, it was an unforgettable night—one in which he showed the world that experience, resilience, and love for one’s country can stand tall even against football’s greatest powers.
