“I would choose my previous life”: Cult goalkeeper Vozinha is struggling with World Cup glory

“When I go to a restaurant, someone always wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph,” said the 40-year-old World Cup hero. “Even worse: someone is filming me.” That’s what changed the most in his life. “Many people want to be famous and be in the public eye, but they only see the positive side of this reality.”

According to him, his parents also feel the less positive aspects of his fame. His mother receives daily visits from fans. His more reserved father, on the other hand, learned to keep his distance. They have to learn to deal with it and set boundaries, said Vozinha. “I’m not there, so I can’t help you.”

He had fewer than 50,000 followers on Instagram before the World Cup. On the final weekend, the Cape Verdean audience was more than 29 million. A little more than two months after the tournament there are still an impressive 28.4 million followers.

His rapid increase in popularity made him interesting beyond his skills as a goalkeeper. “I know that many companies and brands wanted to work with me during the World Cup,” he reported. He didn’t know what offers would come in the future. However, it is clear to the keeper that he currently does not want to work with tobacco, alcohol or betting providers.

In August, Vozinha was introduced to the Chilean record champions Colo Colo Santiago de Chile and received like a rock star. According to the media, Vozinha actually wanted to end his career in the national team after the World Cup. But he still feels good, he said in the interview. He is currently playing the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with the Cape Verde team. After a 3-1 defeat against Mali at the start of qualifying, he and the team will continue against Rwanda on Tuesday.