Record for oldest debut – AFP
Vozinha’s story is like a fairytale. Before this World Cup, hardly anyone knew him. Now, he has over a million followers on Instagram and worldwide fame. It was Vozinha who propelled Cape Verde—making their World Cup debut—into the knockout stage.
Having drawn against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, the team now faces world champions Argentina in the Round of 32—a prospect that seemed almost unbelievable just a few weeks ago. The entire journey feels like a dream to Vozinha as well.
After the match against Saudi Arabia, Vozinha said, “Playing against Argentina will be a momentous occasion for us. Stepping onto the pitch against Argentina and Lionel Messi is a dream for any player.”
Vozinha played a pivotal role in Cape Verde’s goalless draw against Spain in their opening match, and his story quickly began to spread. His mother had initially been unable to travel to the United States because she couldn’t arrange the funds in time; however, arrangements were later made, and she is now watching her son play in the World Cup from the stands.
Yesterday, with his mother watching, Vozinha secured a spot in the Round of 32 by drawing against Saudi Arabia. He later remarked, “None of us probably ever imagined something like this. But we knew we were a good team. When we arrived at the World Cup, many might have thought we wouldn’t win a single match. But our team is fantastic; we have players capable of competing at the highest level.”
Cape Verde is a small island nation in West Africa. They qualified for the World Cup by finishing ahead of Cameroon in the qualifiers. Now, this nation of 530,000 people is among the top 32 teams in the tournament.
Vozinha expressed his excitement, saying, “We have shown how deep our love for the country is. We aren’t just representing the players; we are representing Cape Verdeans all over the world. We may be a small country, but we have big hearts. And we know how to fight.”
