At 40 years old, goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde, is about to realize a grandiose dream in a trajectory seen as unlikely. The athlete will make his first appearance in a World Cup alongside the Cape Verdean team, which is making its debut in the competition, a rare milestone for a player and nation. The team will face a considerable challenge against Spain in Group H, in a match scheduled for this Monday (15), at 1pm (Brasília time), broadcast live on CazéTV and Disney+.
This moment represents the culmination of a journey that began in 1986, on the serene island of São Vicente, in Cape Verde. Zé Pedro, Vozinha’s father and a soldier, had a great passion for sport and decided to pay homage to a Mexican World Cup champion player by naming his son, born on June 3 of that same year.
The archer revealed, in an exclusive statement to ESPN, that his father’s initial wish was to name him Valdano, in reference to the Argentine striker Jorge Valdano, notable at Real Madrid. However, the official bodies at the time did not allow this choice.
Then, the alternative considered was a bow to right-back Josimar, an emblematic figure of Botafogo, who stood out with two memorable goals in the 1986 World Cup, scored against Northern Ireland and Poland. This time, the full name – Josimar José Évora Dias – was approved by local authorities. Vozinha himself confirmed that his father and grandmother had strong sympathy for Brazilian football and, in particular, for the player Josimar.
Despite carrying the name of a sporting icon, the goalkeeper became widely known by a peculiar nickname in the football scene. Josimar was educated and raised by his grandparents, Maria Senhorinha dos Santos and Manuel da Luz Moraes, and from a young age demonstrated an extremely competitive spirit, hating any type of defeat.
He said that his childhood was marked by living on a street where there were no boys in his age group, which forced him to constantly play with older boys, resulting in many injuries. Josimar admitted to being somewhat rebellious, never accepting being attacked without fighting back, always looking for a way to get back at him so as not to return home hurt or beaten.
He often returned home with a closed expression, irritated and full of fury, which led others to comment that he always looked for his grandparents to complain, giving rise to the nickname ‘Grandma’. Initially, this made him even more enraged, but as time passed, the name acquired a new meaning and proportion.
Eventually, the nickname ‘Grandma’ turned into a heartfelt tribute to her beloved grandparents, who played a pivotal role in her upbringing and upbringing.
The professional career of goalkeeper Vozinha
Josimar began his football journey in clubs in Cape Verde, a country where the sport was still played semi-professionally. He later transferred to Progresso Sambizanga, a team from Angola.
The athlete revealed that he did not have basic training or specific teaching to improve his goalkeeping techniques. According to him, his rise was purely due to willpower, dedication to work, ability to listen and learn. In 2012, he achieved his first year as a professional player in Angola.
His first match at Progresso Sambizanga took place against the renowned five-time world champion Rivaldo, who played for Kabuscorp at the time. Between 2012 and 2014, the goalkeeper was with the Angolan team for a pre-season in Belo Horizonte, where he participated in training games against the big Minas Gerais clubs Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG.
Aspiring to make significant progress in her career, Vozinha moved to Europe. He wore the shirts of Zimbru, in Moldova, and Gil Vicente, in Portugal, before signing with AEL Limassol, in Cyprus, where he stayed for five years. He later played for AS Trencin, from Slovakia, and in the last two seasons, he played for Chaves, from the Portuguese Second League.
He detailed that returning to Portugal represented the ideal time to be in a country with the same language. Furthermore, the place offered cuisine and culture with certain similarities to his homeland, and geographically closer to home.
The emotion of Cape Verde’s historic debut in the World Cup
With the experience of having participated in four editions of the African Cup of Nations, Vozinha expresses deep emotion when describing what Cape Verde’s first participation in a World Cup represents. He stated that “seeing people crying with joy, a cry of pride, of feeling, of belonging to the country” demonstrates how the team managed to unite the entire nation.
As captain of the national team during the qualifiers, presence at the World Cup symbolizes the crowning of the goalkeeper’s career, who has worn the national team’s shirt since 2012. He described the feat as “the most memorable moment of our lives, and also of the Cape Verdean people, because it was a unique moment, a dream of several generations who once played or started playing football. We always believed that this was our turn.”
Vozinha’s strong connections with Brazilian culture and football
Vozinha’s connections with Brazil extend significantly beyond the simple sound of its name and shared language. The goalkeeper expresses great admiration for Brazilian culture and has a brother residing in Recife, Pernambuco.
He recalled that, since childhood, they used to watch several Brazilian soap operas after the news, specifically mentioning “Xica da Silva” (TV Manchete, 1996), “Malhação” and “Rei do Gado” (TV Globo, 1995). Vozinha emphasized the constant consumption of Brazilian music, which she considers “very good and very rich”, citing Ivete Sangalo, Seu Jorge, Cidade Negra and Revelação among her favorites, and revealed that her grandmother was a great admirer of Roberto Carlos.
Additionally, the goalkeeper had the opportunity to play alongside several Brazilian players during his career and sought inspiration from other athletes throughout his youth. He expressed particular admiration for Rogério Ceni, highlighting him as a goalkeeper who also took free kicks and penalties. Ronaldo Fenômeno and Ronaldinho Gaúcho were considered great idols for him.
Vozinha hopes to emulate the success of her famous namesake in an edition of the World Cup. By a curious coincidence, the location of a possible game in the round of 16 could be the same stage as 40 years ago. If Cape Verde advances to the round of 16, the match would be held in Mexico.
Details of the broadcast of the game between Spain and Cape Verde
The match between Spain and Cape Verde, scheduled for this Monday (15), at 1 pm (Brasília time), will be broadcast live on CazéTV. Access to the game will also be available through Disney+, at no additional cost to subscribers.
