Imagine waking and having 50,000 followers on Instagram, and by the time the day finishes just about 24 hours later, you have over 10 million followers.
While that sounds like the stuff of dreams, it was Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha’s reality on Monday (June 15) after his country made their debut in the FIFA World Cup against European champions Spain and produced one of the biggest football upsets of all time, playing out a 0-0 draw in Atlanta and coming out with a point.
As the third-least populated nation and second-smallest country by land area to qualify, Cape Verde’s world debut was a historic occasion regardless. However, their performance ensured that it would be a moment that would be spoken about for centuries to come, and Vozinha was key. The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet, made seven saves, and secured the Player of the Match (POTM) award.
Vozinha Enters The Record Books
The display was one that rewrote the record books as Vozinha became the eighth-oldest player to feature in the World Cup. However, he was only the second-oldest debutant behind Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who made his maiden appearance in the 2018 edition at the age of 45.
The Cape Verde keeper set multiple world records; he is the oldest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on his debut in the World Cup. Moreover, he is also the oldest footballer to feature in his country’s maiden appearance in the tournament’s history.
Vozinha Nicknamed Grandma
The Cape Verde goalkeeper’s real name is Josimar Dias. So how is it popularly known as Vozinha? The answer lies in the word’s meaning in Portuguese, which is ‘Granny,’ and the player’s attachment to his grandparents. The veteran goalkeeper revealed that he never got to live with his parents.
“It’s because of my grandparents. I never lived with my parents. When I was born my dad was doing military service and my mum always had to work, so I grew up with my grandparents. In my area, the other boys were much older, and I’d always be playing with them in the street, getting kicked about a lot. That’s because I was very good with my feet and I was competitive and rebellious, I didn’t like losing. I’d get knocked about a lot and whenever I couldn’t get my own back with things like that, I’d go home in a rage, with a face like thunder, and they’d make fun of me, saying I was going off to complain to my grandparents,” said Vozinha in an interaction with FIFA.com.
“Nobody in Cabo Verde knew me as Josimar, but I didn’t like my nickname then, it drove me mad. It’s just that, when I got to Angola, there was another keeper called Josimar. So, I said to myself that I wasn’t going to put ‘Josimar II’ on my shirt. And since everyone in Cabo Verde knew me as Vozinha, that’s what I went with,” th shot-stopper added.
The Argentina-Brazil Football Connection Behind His Real Name
Vozinha has a football connection right from his birth. His father wanted to name him after Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winner Valdano, who scored four goals in the tournament. However, the request was rejected by the registrar in Cabo Verde as foreign names were not allowed. This led to his father turning to Brazilian footballer Josimar, who is a Portuguese-speaking player and also lit up the World Cup in the year Maradona lifted it.
Vozinha: Part Of Cabo Verde’s Journey From the Start
Vozinha made his debut for Cabo Verde in 2012 and has seen the country’s rise as a footballing nation. He has also appeared in the African Cup of Nations in 2013, 2015, 2021, and 2023 before making his World Cup debut. He is the country’s second-most capped player with 91 appearances.
As a footballer, the player’s journey is incredible as he became a professional at the late age of 25. He has been a journeyman after plying his trade in six countries for nine clubs. He has played for Batuque (Cape Verde, 2007-2011), CS Mindelense (Cape Verde, 2011), Progresso Associação do Sambizanga (Angola, 2012-2015), CS Mindelense (Cape Verde, loan, 2014-2015), Zimbru Chișinău (Moldova, 2015-2016), Gil Vicente (Portugal, 2016-2017), AEL Limassol (Cyprus, 2017-2022), AS Trenčín (Slovakia, 2022-2024), and Chaves (Portugal, 2024-present)
His current club, Chaves, plays in the second division of the Portuguese league. Meanwhile, the football blood in his family also saw his younger brother Delmiro become a footballer, who is a defender and played one match for the Cape Verde national team.