From Santiago to Mali, Vozinha has endured a difficult fortnight after the Cape Verde goalkeeper’s rise on the World Cup stage. The 40-year-old was caught out for Mali’s third goal in Cape Verde’s 3-1 away defeat in their opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on Friday.
The loss brought Cape Verde back into official competition following their memorable World Cup campaign, where Vozinha had become one of the side’s defining figures. This time, however, his attempt to intercept a long ball outside his area went wrong: he failed to reach it and Nene Dorgeles took advantage to score Mali’s final goal.
Spanish coverage described the moment as a harsh return to reality for both the national team and its veteran goalkeeper, calling the decision to leave his box a serious mistake that presented Nene with the chance to finish.
A sharp contrast with the World Cup
Vozinha finished the World Cup with 18 saves across four matches. His standout evening came in Cape Verde’s goalless draw against Spain, when he made seven stops and was named FIFA’s player of the match.
That tournament form also earned him a place among the ten nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best goalkeeper.
Recent trouble at Colo-Colo
The Mali setback followed another costly error in Chile. On the 13th, Vozinha mishandled a cross while playing for Colo-Colo in a 1-1 Chilean league draw with Deportes Concepción, allowing Norman Rodríguez to score.
The incident circulated widely online, but Colo-Colo coach Fernando Ortiz defended his goalkeeper afterwards, insisting that the Cape Verde international should not be judged solely on one mistake.
For Vozinha, the next fixtures offer an opportunity to restore the authority that made him one of Cape Verde’s unexpected World Cup heroes — first in the demanding domestic setting of Santiago, and then with a national side seeking a response in African qualifying.
