Vozinha: Cape Verde's surprise star at the 2026 World Cup

During this 2026 World Cup, one of the most interesting stories is the rise of unknown players, and Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha is a typical example. With an excellent performance in the 0-0 draw against Spain, Vozinha surprised fans and quickly became a phenomenon on social networks.

Vozinha, after the match, couldn't believe it when the number of his Instagram followers from 50,000 skyrocketed to more than 1 million in just 24 hours, and this number continued to touch the 10 million mark. Notably, this number even surpasses sports stars such as Victor Wembanyama (6.2 million) and Patrick Mahomes (6.4 million). "It's crazy, this is crazy," Vozinha told Brazilian YouTube channel CazéTV after the match.

Vozinha not only created history on the field but was also touched when his mother could not be present at the stadium due to visa issues. CazéTV, the only channel in Brazil with the rights to broadcast all 104 matches at the World Cup, called on viewers to support Vozinha, and this helped him quickly increase his number of followers. Spain, the team expected to easily overcome Cape Verde, was stopped by Vozinha's solid defense.

"Today we are not asking viewers to subscribe, but rather asking you to follow Vozinha. He is doing magic," said Cazé. With the support of the audience, Vozinha's number of followers increased by hundreds of thousands soon after.

Vozinha, who began his professional career at the age of 25, is one of the few players over 40 years old in the tournament. He made many decisive saves against strong Spanish attacks and was voted the best player of the match. The draw created a celebratory atmosphere in Cape Verde, an archipelago off the coast of West Africa with a population of about half a million people.

After the match, Vozinha said his mother could not go to the US to cheer because of difficulties in applying for a visa. The US State Department said it has no record of Vozinha's mother applying for a visa but is working to resolve the issue with Cape Verde authorities. A source said Vozinha's mother may not have applied for a visa yet because she does not have a valid Cape Verdean passport, but she is currently in the process of applying.

Cape Verde's next match will be next Sunday. Previously, a similar case happened with New Zealand defender Tim Payne, when a social media influencer called on fans to support him. FIFA has been working to attract a new generation of fans through digital platforms during this 2026 World Cup, and has signed multiple agreements with broadcast partners.

Vozinha thanked Brazilian fans for their support: "Thank you. Brazilians always support us. We felt it during the World Cup qualifying campaign and now we feel it again on the biggest stage."