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Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha gained more than a million Instagram followers after performing heroically during his nation’s World Cup clash with Spain, The Sun reports.
The 40-year-old performed admirably as his nation earned an incredible 0-0 draw with Spain on their World Cup debut.
So impressed were pundits on Brazilian channel Caze TV, that they urged viewers to help Vozinha reach 100,000 Instagram followers during half-time.
Fans did so in their droves, with the stopper up to 220,000 within barely a minute.
The veteran, who plays his club football in the Portuguese second tier with Chaves, was set to be greeted by an avalanche of notifications upon looking at his phone after the game.
By the hour mark his Instagram feed had reached 350,000 followers.
At full time, Vozinha was up to 389,000 – and astonishingly he gained another 500,000 within five minutes of the final whistle.
By the time he reached the dressing room he had surpassed ONE MILLION followers.
The experienced stopper kept an incredible clean sheet as Cape Verde stunned Spain in Atlanta.
Also Read: World Cup 2026: Spain Midfielder Rodri Takes Swipe At Cape Verde Tactics After 0-0 Draw
Vozinha received an 8.4 rating via WhoScored and made seven saves during a heroic effort.
Upon the final whistle he was mobbed by his thrilled team-mates, and looked on the verge of tears as he soaked in the moment.
Vozinha has been playing for Cape Verde since 2012 and was earning his 89th cap against Spain.
After the game, he said: “I cried after the game because I grew up with my grandparents when I was a kid, and they could not be there. They passed away a few years ago.
“My mum could not be here either for a VISA issue, and the money we had to pay for it. We did not manage to do this in time.”
And in an interview with Caze TV following the clean sheet, he found out the incredible number of followers he had gained.
He said: “I had almost 50,000 followers [before]. Wow…
“They said, I think, I have half a million [now]….
He was then shown a phone which showed he had over a million followers and looked on in astonishment.
Vozinha commented: “That’s crazy…
“Thank you so much, Brazilians have always been very affectionate towards us.
“We have felt this during our qualification campaign, we have felt this support and affection from Brazilians.”
7 Comments
It’s even over 2 million already. That’s what a good performance at the world cup stage can do to a serious national team. Cape Verde has been coming of age since their quarter finals in 2023 afcon.
12m dollars from FIFA.
Knocking out Cameroon from the qualifiers.
Holding Spain to ransom.
Free publicity was the barest minimum for the keeper.
Nice.
I just wonder what the FIFA ranking will look like after this WC. I hope we don’t get flung out of the top 10 in Africa.
Unless we don’t qualify for afcon next year (for now, a bit unlikely because finally there’s competition for places and current NFF will not survive September elections since Nigeria is already “boiling” seeing small population Africa nations making history at the world cup we are viewing from TV), we should still be in the top 10 when seedings for next world cup qualifiers begin in 2028.
As at June rankings (FIFA will bring another one when world cup ends next month, best way to know our real position sha), the African participants position in the WC are:
In fact, it is updated daily on FIFA website (we are 25th in the world right now from 26th earlier)
Morocco: 7th (1st in Africa)
Senegal: 14th (2nd in Africa)
We are still 3rd as only Algeria in 4th and 27th in the world can really outrank us now but we should still be in the top 5 next month
Waoh Top top performance absolutely nothing come close to world cup
While our ex internationals are telling us to “look inwards”, Cape Verde looked outwards and assembled a team that qualified them for the world cup, and is doing wonderfully well at the tournament. There is no way they could have assembled such a squad from just their home based talent, with their tiny population. Most of their squad are Portuguese and Brazilians who switched allegiance to CV.
Which explains the quality they possess. Sumptuous, energetic football.
To restrict a whole Spain to a handful of chances over 90 mins no be beans. Spain’s attacking machine is notoriously difficult to contain, yet CV did it. In fact, if that match had gone on for another 1000 mins, I’m not sure Spain would have found a way thru.
A defending master class from CV. Well done to them.
If na Nigeria, we for concede in the 90th minute. Hahahaha! Na our way na. I still dey vex for that last minute equalizer we conceded against Poland. We better approach CV and learn how to properly manage a game.
We’d have conceded in the 90th minute because as usual “the ball could have beaten any keeper in the world”, our typical excuse. Two countries I envy their goal keepers are Cape Verde and, I think, Equatorial Guinea.
And if it’s our own GK, we will be hearing something like, it’s an in swinger and can beat any GK, good GK has been the brain behind most teams that has won the WC, Spain won it with Casillas, Argentina with Martinez, France with Hugo Lloris.
They all stood tall to save numerous goal
Scoring chances which is what a GK is know. For, bail ur team outta shit attimes.