Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who was awarded player of the match after making seven crucial saves during Cape Verde’s scoreless draw against Spain, was visibly emotional at the final whistle. His mother, who could not afford the visa to the United States, missed witnessing this pivotal moment in the team’s history.
The goalkeeper expressed that this match represented a culmination of his lifelong aspirations, lamenting the absence of his late grandparents and mother during this significant occasion.
Earlier this year, the U.S. government mandated that citizens from Cape Verde must post a returnable bond of up to $15,000 (£11,200) in addition to the visa application fee. Consequently, Vozinha’s mother was unable to finalize her visa application in time. For over a decade, Vozinha has been the primary goalkeeper for Cape Verde.
“I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they were not here; they died a few years ago,” he shared. “They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa, we didn’t manage to [get it done] on time. I would like her to be here, but I’m also very happy.
“They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa, we didn’t manage to [get it done] on time. I would like her to be here, but I’m also very happy. “I have worked my whole life for this moment. I’m 40 years old. I started playing football professionally when I was 25, in 2012. I thought about leaving but I continued because of this dream. This is for everyone. I was named man of the match but this is for all of my teammates because without them nothing would be possible. I will continue to work for Cape Verde and for the people. Spain, unsurprisingly, had the majority of possession but struggled to break down a well organised Cape Verde defence. Ferran Torres hit the bar in the European champions’ best chance. Everything else that was on target Vozinha stopped. “Our best weapon is our unity. The way we treat our family is our best strength. Everyone thought we came here just to enjoy the World Cup, but we know we have a team that deserves respect. It’s our first time, but we are here to compete and to fight for our country. We will play all the games with our strategy and our coach’s tactics. We will try to do better than today’s game. I hope we can win some games and, who knows, maybe go through to the next round. I am very happy and proud of all our players.”
In the match, Spain dominated possession but found it challenging to penetrate a well-organized defense from Cape Verde. Ferran Torres came closest to scoring, hitting the bar, but Vozinha successfully thwarted all other attempts on goal.
“Vozinha is overwhelmed by the emotion. He has made a huge effort to be here, and those were tears of resilience. I don’t like to talk about individuals, but he played so well. The team was calm and that helped to keep him calm. “This means everything for the country. We’ve always said that we want the whole world to see how our team plays. We showed courage, playing in a way that is a metaphor for our country: with resilience and overcoming obstacles.”
Bubista, the head coach of Cape Verde, commented on Vozinha’s emotions, stating, “Vozinha is overwhelmed by the emotion. He has made a huge effort to be here, and those were tears of resilience. I don’t like to talk about individuals, but he played so well. The team was calm and that helped to keep him calm.
“This means everything for the country. We’ve always said that we want the whole world to see how our team plays. We showed courage, playing in a way that is a metaphor for our country: with resilience and overcoming obstacles.”
