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Cape Verde's Vozinha Stuns Spain in World Cup Debut, Gains 14M Followers

ESPN Soccer •
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Forty-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha delivered the performance of his life against World Cup favorites Spain, making seven spectacular saves from 27 shots to earn man of the match honors. His heroic display helped Cape Verde secure their first ever World Cup point in a 0-0 draw that shocked the football world.

Born in Mindelo to a family that wanted to name him after Argentine striker Jorge Valdano, Vozinha instead became a goalkeeper and turned professional at 25. His journeyman career spanned Portugal, Moldova, Angola, Cyprus and Slovakia before stabilizing with Chaves in Portugal's second division. Despite winning only the 2018-19 Cypriot Cup, he consistently delivered for his national team.

Vozinha's emotional reaction reflected years of sacrifice - his grandparents passed away before seeing him reach this stage, and his mother couldn't attend due to visa complications. Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV's call for viewers to follow him on Instagram sparked a viral surge, growing his following from 56,000 to 14.2 million overnight.

His seven clean sheets in ten World Cup qualifying matches proved this wasn't a fluke. The veteran's performance against Spain's brightest young stars, including stopping Pedri and denying substitute attacks, announced Cape Verde as genuine competitors on their debut. Whether facing Uruguay next, Vozinha has already cemented his place in his nation's sporting history.