For 90 minutes in Atlanta, Spain threw everything they had at Cape Verde.

Ferran Torres. Pedri. Aymeric Laporte. Wave after wave of attacks from the reigning European champions.

And standing in their way was a 40-year-old goalkeeper known simply as Vozinha.

By the final whistle of Cape Verde’s stunning 0-0 draw against Spain in their FIFA World Cup debut, the veteran keeper had become one of the stories of the tournament. Tears streamed down his face as teammates mobbed him on the pitch, while fans across the world scrambled to learn more about the man who had just produced one of the great World Cup goalkeeping performances.

Is Vozinha his real name?

Despite becoming globally known as Vozinha overnight, that isn’t actually his real name.

The Cape Verde international’s full name is Josimar José Evora Dias, but the nickname has followed him throughout his career. In Portuguese, “Vozinha” translates roughly to “little granny”, a name given to him by his grandparents, who played a huge role in raising him while his father served in the military and his mother worked.

The nickname stuck.

When he left Cape Verde to pursue a professional career abroad, he decided to keep it on the back of his shirt.

“There was already another goalkeeper called Josimar,” he explained in a FIFA interview earlier this year. “I didn’t want to be Josimar II. Everyone knew me as Vozinha, so that’s who I remained.”

A football journey across continents

Unlike many modern World Cup stars, Vozinha’s path to the biggest stage wasn’t straightforward.

He began his career at home with **Batuque FC** before moving to **CS Mindelense**, one of Cape Verde’s most successful clubs. From there, his career became a footballing odyssey.

The goalkeeper played in:

• Angola with Progresso
• Moldova with Zimbru Chisinau
• Portugal with Gil Vicente
• Cyprus with AEL Limassol
• Slovakia with AS Trencin

Today, he represents Chaves in Portugal’s second division.

It’s hardly the glamorous résumé of a typical World Cup star, but the experience gained across multiple countries and leagues was on full display against Spain.

The performance that stunned the world

Cape Verde entered the tournament as one of the biggest underdogs in the field.

Spain were expected to dominate. Instead, Vozinha turned the match into his personal highlight reel.

He produced a series of outstanding saves, particularly before half-time, denying Torres, Pedri and Laporte while commanding his penalty area with remarkable composure.

Every stop increased the belief among Cape Verde’s players.

Every save raised the noise inside Atlanta Stadium.

By full-time, the minnows had secured one of the biggest results of the tournament so far.

Spain had dominated possession and territory, but they couldn’t find a way past Vozinha.

The 40-year-old was deservedly named Player of the Match.

An emotional moment years in the making

The final whistle brought more than celebration.

It brought tears.

Speaking afterwards, Vozinha revealed the emotional significance of the occasion.

“I am very proud. It is an honour to represent my country,” he said.

His emotions were tied to family.

“I cried because I grew up with my grandparents. Unfortunately they passed away before this moment. They did everything for me.”

He also revealed his mother was unable to travel to the United States in time due to visa complications.

“I would have liked her to be here,” he added.

For a player making his World Cup debut at 40, the moment represented far more than a football result.

From local hero to global sensation

The impact was immediate.

Within hours of the Spain match, Vozinha’s social media following reportedly exploded from hundreds of thousands to millions.

Football stars also took notice.

Former France midfielder Paul Pogba posted his admiration online, writing:

“The Cape Verde goalkeeper is really something. Waaaaw.”

For one night at least, the football world belonged to a goalkeeper from a small Atlantic island nation with a population of roughly half a million people.

And if Cape Verde continue to surprise at this World Cup, Vozinha’s unforgettable performance against Spain may end up being remembered as the moment their dream campaign truly began.

What’s next?

Cape Verde’s reward for frustrating Spain is a huge opportunity.

With one point already on the board, they have given themselves a genuine chance of competing for qualification from Group H.

And if they are to continue punching above their weight, they’ll need more heroics from the man who became a World Cup cult hero overnight.

For the rest of the tournament, everyone will know his name.

Or rather, his nickname. Vozinha.