Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha reflects on sudden World Cup fame and loss of privacy

Sudden rise on the global stage

Cape Verde national team goalkeeper Vozinha gained worldwide attention during the 2026 World Cup, where the 40-year-old goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 opening draw against Spain. Cape Verde, the second smallest country by population ever to qualify for the tournament, progressed to the knockout rounds after securing subsequent draws against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Their campaign ended in the round of 32 following a 3-2 defeat in extra time against Argentina.

Before the tournament, Vozinha had fewer than 50,000 followers on Instagram. During post-match interviews in the mixed zone following the Spain fixture, a journalist from Cazé TV showed him that his follower count had surpassed one million. To avoid distraction during the tournament, Vozinha disabled his Instagram notifications, though his account eventually exceeded 29 million followers by the final weekend before settling around 28.4 million.

Loss of personal privacy

In an interview with the British newspaper The Observer, Vozinha stated that the sudden celebrity has severely reduced his personal privacy and tranquility. The goalkeeper, who holds 93 international caps for Cape Verde, explained that daily activities have become difficult due to persistent requests for autographs, photos, and unauthorized video recordings in public venues.

I've lost my peace and tranquillity. I no longer have any privacy, or at least much less than I used to. Now I go out, I go to a restaurant, and there's always someone who wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph. Or, worse, someone is filming me. That's what has changed most in my life, and I don't think there's anything I can do about it.

The attention has also affected his parents residing in Cape Verde. Fans visit his mother daily at her home, while his father has learned to maintain physical distance from the public. Vozinha noted that because he is playing abroad, he cannot directly intervene to assist them in setting boundaries.

A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality. To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the life I had before, I'd choose the one I had before.

Club career and commercial decisions

Before his World Cup rise, Vozinha spent years playing across multiple European leagues, including stints in Moldova, Cyprus, Slovakia, and two seasons with Portuguese second-tier club Chaves. In August, he completed a transfer to Chilean team Colo-Colo on a contract running through December. The deal includes an option for a one-year renewal if he plays in at least 50% of the team's matches, though he has featured in three of nine fixtures so far.

His World Cup performance placed him on the ten-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or goalkeeper award and led biologists to name a new species of marine mollusk in his honor. Although numerous brands approached him during and after the competition, Vozinha established that he will not partner with tobacco, alcohol, or gambling companies. He is currently training with Colo-Colo while preparing for Cape Verde's upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification fixtures.