Overview
- The 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar Jose Evora Dias, known as Vozinha, made seven saves to help World Cup debutants Cape Verde hold European champion Spain to a 0-0 draw and was named Player of the Match.
- After his emotional reaction went viral, the U.S. State Department and FIFA prioritized a visa for his mother and she has now traveled from Praia to Miami to support him.
- FIFA published a video of Ana Candida Evora thanking fans and urging the team to keep their heads held high as Cape Verde prepares to play Uruguay.
- Vozinha said his father and brother will also be in the stadium, making the match a family reunion that follows days of intense media attention and a surge in his social followings.
- Cape Verde’s result and the fast-tracked family reunion highlight how a single match can raise global attention and prompt government and sports bodies to intervene on practical issues like travel and visas.