Cape Verde: Vozinha reveals the downside of his fame

A revelation of the 2026 World Cup with Cape Verde, Vozinha has been discovering the downside of fame for several weeks. In an interview with The Observer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper explains that he has lost some of his peace and privacy since his remarkable tournament.

“I have lost my peace and tranquillity. I no longer have any privacy, or at least much less than before,” he told the British newspaper.

These days, a trip to a restaurant can quickly turn into a session of photos, autographs or videos taken without his consent.

Fame that has become difficult to manage

The transformation began as early as Cape Verde’s first match at the World Cup. Before the 0-0 draw against Spain, Vozinha had around 56,000 followers on Instagram. After his performance against the future world champions, his audience surpassed one million within a few hours. The Brazilian channel CazéTV had notably urged its viewers to follow him.

The phenomenon continued throughout the competition. Vozinha even explains that he disabled Instagram notifications so he would not be constantly confronted with the influx of new followers.

This popularity also led to numerous commercial approaches. “During the World Cup, many companies and brands wanted to work with me,” he says. The goalkeeper specifies that he accepted only one promotional collaboration during the tournament, with UFL Mobile. He also says that, for the time being, he does not want to work with brands linked to tobacco, alcohol or betting.

Read also: Cape Verde: Vozinha under pressure

“I would choose the life I had before”

Vozinha is especially aware of the personal cost of this new exposure.

“Many people want to be famous and have a public image, but they only see the positive side of this reality,” he believes.

When asked to choose between his current life and the one he led before the World Cup, his answer is unequivocal:

“To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the one I had before, I would choose the one I had before.”

His family is also having to deal with this new reality. In Cape Verde, his mother now regularly receives visits from supporters who come to ask for a photo or simply chat with her.

Vozinha’s fame is not limited to the downsides, however. The goalkeeper believes that this exposure can also benefit his country. After the World Cup, he joined Colo-Colo in Chile and ultimately decided to continue his international career, having initially considered retiring.

The Cape Verdean goalkeeper is also among the ten nominees for the Ballon d’Or in the goalkeeper category, a recognition he says he never imagined receiving.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

Related teams and leagues

Colo Colo

Primera Division Chile