In a World Cup already littered with tremendous moments, none was more unexpected than the performance of Cape Verde goalie Vozinha. The 40-year-old endured an onslaught of pressure from Spain, but never broke, helping his team secure a shocking 0-0 draw against one of the biggest favorites in the event.
Vozinha received many accolades following the star-making appearance. He was named the Man of the Match after notching seven saves against Spain, and saw his social media following completely explode after a global audience saw his performance and tenacity.
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But one very important person was unable to watch Vozinha in person. Due to visa issues, Vozinha’s mother was not allowed into the United States in time to watch Cape Verde’s first game in the tournament. The goalie revealed as much following the draw, saying he was emotional after the contest because his mother was unable to be at the game.
But that issue was resolved ahead of Cape Verde’s next game. In a statement Wednesday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was moved by Vozinha’s story, and worked with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure Vozinha’s mother had her visa issues resolved and all fees waived.
Because of that, Vozinha and his mother are expected to reunite when Cape Verde takes on Uruguay on Sunday.
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Vozinha, whose actual name is Josimar Dias, will have a lot to live up to in the contest. Following the team’s draw against Spain, expectations will be high when Cape Verde takes the pitch again.
No matter how well Vozinha plays moving forward, it will be tough to top the Spain game. In addition to the contest being Vozinha’s first-ever in the World Cup, it was also Cape Verde’s World Cup debut. Prior to 2026, the team had never participated in the event.
Thanks to Vozinha, the team pulled off a shocking result. While that moment is unlikely to be topped, Vozinha might enjoy the game against Uruguay even more knowing his mother will be at the stadium watching her son play.
