Cape Verde’s Vozinha Says World Cup Fame Has Cost Him His Privacy

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has said the sudden global attention that followed his World Cup breakthrough has cost him much of the privacy and calm he enjoyed before the tournament.

The 40-year-old became one of the competition’s most recognisable figures after Cape Verde’s first World Cup fixture in June, when he made seven saves in a goalless draw against Spain, who went on to win the tournament. His performance drove an extraordinary rise in his social-media profile and has since brought a nomination for the 2026 Ballon d’Or men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.

From World Cup debut to global recognition

1. Vozinha kept a clean sheet against eventual champions Spain in Cape Verde’s maiden World Cup match, producing seven saves.
2. Within minutes of the final whistle, a member of the team’s catering staff told him that his Instagram following had surged. Vozinha initially believed the claim that he had “a billion followers” was a joke.
3. When he later entered the mixed zone for interviews, a CazéTV journalist showed him the scale of the increase on her phone. By then, his account had passed one million followers.
4. In the days after the match, his following rose from 56,000 to 14 million — an increase of 250 times.
5. His Instagram audience has since grown beyond 28 million, while his World Cup campaign earned him a place among the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or goalkeeper prize.

Privacy concerns after the rise

Despite the recognition, Vozinha said he has found the change difficult to manage. “I have lost my peace and tranquillity,” he said, explaining that his privacy is now far more limited than it had been.

He said ordinary outings have become difficult, with people regularly seeking photographs and autographs when he visits restaurants. He is also uncomfortable with being filmed in public, describing that as the biggest change in his day-to-day life and one he feels unable to control.

Vozinha said the appeal of fame is often viewed only from the outside. While many people want a public profile, he believes they tend to focus on its advantages rather than the loss of anonymity that can follow.

Asked whether he would choose his current life or the one he led before becoming internationally known, the goalkeeper said he would prefer his former life.

Attention reaches his family home

The consequences have also extended to his family in Cape Verde. Supporters now arrive at his mother’s house every day, leaving his parents to handle the attention while he is away.

Vozinha said he cannot be there to assist them directly and that his parents will need to adapt to the new circumstances by establishing clear limits with visitors.