Cape Verde's veteran goalkeeper, Vozinha, became an unexpected hero on the global stage following his team's impressive goalless draw against European champions Spain at the World Cup 2026. The 40-year-old's remarkable clean sheet secured a historic first World Cup point for the island nation in their tournament debut in Atlanta, a result that sent shockwaves through the competition's early stages.
However, the emotional aftermath of the match revealed a poignant personal struggle for Vozinha. He disclosed that his mother was not present in the stadium to witness his career-defining performance because she could not afford the necessary visa to enter the United States. Cape Verde is one of several countries whose citizens are required to pay a returnable bond of up to $15,000 (£11,200) to the US government, in addition to standard visa fees, before being permitted to travel.
An emotional Vozinha shared his heartbreak, stating, "I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they were not here; they died a few years ago. They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa, we didn’t manage to [get it done] on time. I would like her to be here, but I’m also very happy."
The goalkeeper, who has been his country's number one for 13 years, has been a professional footballer since 2012, at the age of 25. He spoke of his long journey and dedication: "I have worked my whole life for this moment. I’m 40 years old. I started playing football professionally when I was 25, in 2012. I thought about leaving but I continued because of this dream." He was named man of the match, but humbly attributed the honour to his teammates, emphasising the unity within the squad.
Cape Verde, an archipelagic country off the coast of West Africa with a population of approximately 500,000, only made their major tournament debut in 2013 at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they reached the quarter-finals. Their unexpected draw against Spain leaves all four teams in their group – including Uruguay and Saudi Arabia – level on one point after the opening round of matches. Cape Verde will now face Uruguay in their next fixture, followed by Saudi Arabia.
Vozinha expressed the team's ambition, stating, "Everyone thought we came here just to enjoy the World Cup, but we know we have a team that deserves respect. It’s our first time, but we are here to compete and to fight for our country. We will play all the games with our strategy and our coach’s tactics. We will try to do better than today’s game. I hope we can win some games and, who knows, maybe go through to the next round."
Source: Vozinha, World Cup 2026