Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, saw his Instagram followers surge from 56,000 to over 28 million after his World Cup 2026 performances, but he now says he would choose his pre-fame life over the loss of privacy and tranquillity.
Vozinha, whose 14-million follower milestone came within hours of Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw against Spain in June 2026, described the sudden global attention as overwhelming. I’ve lost my peace and tranquillity,
he told The Observer, citing constant requests for photos, autographs, and filming wherever he goes. The 40-year-old, who played in the Portuguese second tier before the tournament, said he now “can’t help” his family, who face daily visitors at his mother’s home in Cape Verde. They have to learn to live with the situation and set boundaries,
he added.
Social media explosion and personal cost
The surge began when a catering staff member at the tournament told him he had a billion followers
—a figure he initially dismissed as a joke. Later, I went to do some interviews in the mixed zone, and a CazeTV journalist asked me if I knew what was happening.
She showed me her phone and that was when I saw that I had more than a million followers,
he recalled.
The attention prompted the Cape Verdean Football Federation to rehire his former manager to handle media and commercial demands. Vozinha also disabled Instagram notifications to avoid obsessing over his follower count. A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality,
he said. To be honest, if I were offered the life I had today or the life I had before, I’d choose the one I had before.
Career shifts and future ambitions
Despite the challenges, Vozinha’s World Cup success brought tangible opportunities. The goalkeeper, who initially considered retirement, is now preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. It’s nice to feel like a kind of ambassador,
he said, but I want to make it clear that what we achieved was a collective effort.
Vozinha’s performances also earned him a nomination for the Lev Yashin Award and a spot among the 10 contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or goalkeeper prize. I never imagined it could happen,
he said. It was unthinkable, but I’m grateful to those who thought of me. Just being on that list is already a great honour.
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