Colo Colo signs Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha after World Cup heroics and a 30-million-follower Instagram surge
The 40-year-old Cape Verdean goalkeeper, whose saves against Spain and Argentina turned him into a social media phenomenon, will undergo medical exams in Santiago before being presented at the Monumental Stadium.
Transfer confirmed
Colo Colo president Aníbal Mosa announced on Friday that an agreement has been reached to sign Cape Verde goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias, known universally as Vozinha. Mosa confirmed the deal before a Chilean league match at the Monumental Stadium, saying the player will travel to Santiago in the coming days for routine medical checks and a formal presentation.
Vozinha va a ser jugador de Colo Colo.
Mosa added that the 40-year-old is still in excellent physical shape, which was a key factor in the club's decision to recruit him. No financial terms were disclosed, but the club president stressed that the move was supported across all levels of the Colo Colo organisation.
World Cup heroics
Vozinha emerged as one of the revelations of the 2026 World Cup, leading Cape Verde on a historic run to the round of 16 in the nation's first ever appearance at the tournament. In the group stage he kept a clean sheet against eventual world champions Spain, holding them to a 0-0 draw. He then forced the eventual runners-up Argentina into extra time, making a series of acrobatic saves before his side eventually fell 3-2 after the additional period. For his efforts, Vozinha was selected in the tournament's ideal XI, a lineup that included three players each from Spain and France, with Rodri named the competition's best player.
Sportivamente, está en muy buena forma, por eso lo reclutamos.
Social media explosion
Vozinha's performances turned him into an overnight social media sensation. Before the World Cup he had around 50,000 Instagram followers. Within weeks, propelled by a spotlight from popular Brazilian influencer Casimiro, that number rocketed to nearly 30 million. The sudden fame transformed the journeyman goalkeeper into one of the most-followed African footballers on the platform.
- Before 2026 World Cup
- 50000 followers
- After 2026 World Cup
- 30000000 followers
Journeyman career
His rise is all the more striking given an unconventional career path. Vozinha did not sign his first professional contract until the age of 26 and spent years moving between clubs in Cyprus, Slovakia, Moldova and Angola. Most recently he played for GD Chaves in the Portuguese second division. The Colo Colo deal marks by far the highest-profile move of a career that has spanned four decades.
Colo Colo's reinforcement
Colo Colo, currently top of the Chilean league, had been searching for an experienced goalkeeper following a serious injury to first-choice Fernando de Paul. In his absence the club had been relying on 19-year-old youth product Gabriel Maureira. Vozinha's agent, Adilson dos Santos, confirmed the negotiations hours before the official announcement.
Colo Colo é um grande da América do Sul e é um orgulho que tenha mostrado interesse por Vozinha. Ele está extremamente contente e seria uma grande oportunidade para ele representar o Colo Colo.
Vozinha is expected to arrive in Chile shortly, and his presentation at the Monumental Stadium will be the next step in a transfer that has captured attention far beyond South America.
