Cape Verde’s historic World Cup draw against Spain has turned its 40-year-old goalkeeper into one of the early breakout stories of the tournament.
Josimar José Évora Dias, known as Vozinha, produced a standout performance Monday as Cape Verde held Spain to a stunning 0-0 draw in its World Cup opener, recording seven saves.
For a nation appearing at the tournament for the first time, a point against one of world soccer’s biggest names was a landmark result.
For Vozinha, it also brought an extraordinary surge in attention.
The veteran keeper’s Instagram following climbed from roughly 46,000 before kickoff to roughly 2.4 million as of this writing, turning him from a respected international veteran into one of the tournament’s most talked-about players.
“I worked all my life for this, for this moment, for this dream,” Vozinha told Fox after the game. “A lot of generations in the past was dreaming for this.’
The rise fits into a wider World Cup trend in which lesser-known players have suddenly found themselves pushed into the spotlight through social media.
The Post previously reported on NYCFC defender Kai Trewin going viral before the tournament, while New Zealand defender Tim Payne also saw his following explode after an online push from fans.
Vozinha’s surge, though, came directly off the back of a result that will mean far more than a few extra followers.
Spain entered the match expected to start its campaign with a win, but Cape Verde frustrated the European powerhouse throughout the game. The tournament debutants stayed organized, absorbed pressure and relied on their veteran goalkeeper to help see them through.
Vozinha plays his club soccer for Chaves in Portugal and has been part of Cape Verde’s national team setup for years. But Monday gave him a level of global recognition few would have expected before kickoff.
The final whistle gave Cape Verde its first World Cup point and one of the most significant results in the country’s soccer history.
For Spain, it was a frustrating start to Group H.
For Cape Verde, it was proof that it could compete on the biggest stage.
And for Vozinha, it was the performance that turned a 40-year-old goalkeeper into a viral sensation.
