In Santiago, where Colo-Colo have welcomed Cape Verde’s World Cup goalkeeper Vozinha, the man whose performances travelled around the world has spoken about the quieter life he feels he has left behind. The goalkeeper became one of the tournament’s unexpected figures after Cape Verde held Spain, the side that would lift the World Cup a month later, but he says recognition has brought a loss of privacy he did not seek.
Vozinha’s display against Spain turned him into an online sensation and helped make him a familiar face far beyond Cape Verde. Yet the attention has been difficult for a naturally reserved player. He said everyday outings now regularly involve requests for photographs and autographs, while being filmed without permission has been the part of the new reality he dislikes most.
“I have lost my peace and calm,” he said. “There is far less privacy than before. I can go to a restaurant and somebody will want a picture or an autograph; worse still, someone may record me. That is the biggest change in my life, and I do not think I can do much about it.”
A World Cup moment and its consequences
The scale of the reaction became clear after the Spain match. Vozinha said that, while speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, he was shown his social-media following on a phone and discovered it had climbed beyond one million. Alarmed by the sudden increase, he turned off Instagram notifications rather than repeatedly checking who had followed him.
He accepts that many people view fame only through its benefits, but says he would choose his previous anonymity if given the choice. “A lot of people want to be famous and see only the good side,” he said. “Honestly, if I had to choose between my present life and the one I had before, I would take the old one.”
The goalkeeper has also been selective about commercial opportunities. Although brands approached him during the World Cup, he made only one promotional collaboration while Cape Verde were still playing, with UFL Mobile. For the moment, he does not intend to work with tobacco, alcohol or betting companies.
His new standing has nevertheless created a wider platform for Cape Verde. Vozinha said he is pleased to be viewed as an ambassador, while insisting that the national team’s achievement belonged to the entire group. He hopes the momentum from their historic campaign can contribute to the country’s development and improve living conditions for its people.
Recognition has extended to an unexpected nomination for the Ballon d’Or’s best-goalkeeper award. Vozinha said such acknowledgement once felt unimaginable, adding that inclusion on the list alone was a major honour and that he was grateful to those who considered him.
