In Santiago, where his club career with Colo Colo now unfolds, Vozinha has found that the aftermath of a World Cup can be harder to manage than the tournament itself. Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper became one of the unexpected faces of the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but says the attention that followed has taken away much of the quiet life he once knew.
From Cape Verde’s draw to worldwide recognition
- Vozinha played a central role as Cape Verde held eventual champions Spain to a goalless draw at the World Cup.
- Further displays during the tournament strengthened his profile well beyond the island nation’s usual football audience.
- While giving interviews in the mixed zone, a journalist showed him a phone screen revealing that his Instagram account had passed one million followers.
- The goalkeeper switched off Instagram notifications, explaining that he did not want to keep checking the rising number of followers.
A difficult adjustment off the pitch
The veteran said his new visibility has come at a personal cost. “I have lost my peace and calm,” he said, adding that his privacy is now far more limited than it was before the World Cup.
Trips outside the home have changed most sharply. At restaurants and in public spaces, Vozinha is regularly approached for photographs and autographs, while being filmed by strangers is the part he finds most uncomfortable. He feels there is little he can do to alter that reality.
“A lot of people want to be famous, but they only see the good side of it,” he said. “Honestly, if I had to choose between my life now and the one I had before, I would choose the old one.”
