Who is Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper who single handedly stopped Spain?

According to Flashscore player ratings, he was the best player on the pitch, earning a mark of 8.8.

This is a display that will be remembered forever: at 40 years old, Vozinha, goalkeeper for Chaves in Portugal's second division and valued at 40,000 euros by Flashscore, transformed into Manuel Neuer on his goal line, thwarting every effort from the Spanish players.

With seven saves from seven shots on target by a rather lacklustre La Roja attack, the Cape Verde keeper helped his team secure a historic 0-0 draw in their nation's very first World Cup match. He became the oldest player to make his World Cup debut and even ended the match in tears.

Beyond his exceptional performance and 1.46 xGOT prevented, he completed 10 long passes and touched the ball 65 times, underlining just how crucial he is to Cape Verde's style of play, despite the team having only 26% possession and managing six shots, just one of which was on target.

"We worked incredibly hard, and we turned this dream into reality. The effort came from every player. We are overjoyed. We knew it would be tough. Spain are one of the best teams in the world. We leave with this draw, and we must be satisfied with it. Now, we have to keep working," he told FIFA after the match.

"I dreamed of this moment my whole life, I worked my whole life to be on these stages. Today, I was able to be here and help the team thanks to my experience. I am very happy and thank all Cape Verdeans," he added.

Who is Vozinha, also known as Josimar Dias?

Born on June 3, 1986, in Mindelo, on the island of Sao Vicente, Vozinha was given the name Josimar Dias in honour of the Brazilian full back who shone at the 1986 World Cup, the year he was born.

"My father wanted to name me Valdano, after the Argentine striker Jorge Valdano from Real Madrid. But the authorities did not allow it," the goalkeeper recalled in an interview with ESPN Brasil.

Unlike many dual nationals in the squad who trained in Europe, he began his career on his native archipelago, notably with CS Mindelense, one of the country's most historic clubs. His talent quickly crossed the Atlantic, and he first moved to Angola to play for Progresso do Sambizanga before returning to Mindelense and then heading to Zimbru Chisinau in Moldova.

During his long and varied club career, Vozinha became a true football globetrotter. He played in Portugal (Gil Vicente), Slovakia (AS Trencin), but it was especially in Cyprus, with AEL Limassol, that he established himself as one of the league's best goalkeepers, notably winning the Cyprus Cup in 2019. Since 2024, he has been a key player for Chaves in Portugal's second division.

Spiritual leader of the Blue Sharks

Vozinha is a legend at home, above all because of his deep connection with the national team. An international since 2012, he has been part of all Cape Verde's great adventures as well as its disappointments. He was there for the country's historic first qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, reaching the quarter finals against all odds, and again for the same achievement in 2023 in Ivory Coast.

With 91 caps to his name and having captained Cape Verde during the qualifiers, he is the second most capped player in Blue Sharks history, behind Ryan Mendes.

Thanks to this historic performance against Spain, the Cape Verdean veteran's name is now on everyone's lips across football social media. Especially on Instagram, where his followers jumped from 48,000 before the match to 1.5 million less than 30 minutes after the final whistle.

There is no doubt he will be highly anticipated for the next match against Uruguay.