Although he spent most of his career with smaller clubs in lower divisions — most recently Chaves in Portugal’s second tier — Vozinha always believed he belonged on a bigger stage.

Following a breakout World Cup with Cape Verde that won over fans worldwide, the 40-year-old goalkeeper has secured his high-profile move.

On Tuesday (August 4, 2026), he was officially unveiled by Colo-Colo, Chile’s most successful club.

“The decision was very clear. Despite playing in smaller leagues for clubs that weren’t exactly giants, deep down I always told myself I was a big club’ player,” Vozinha said at a press conference. “So when Colo-Colo came calling, there was no doubt.”

Colo-Colo announced the signing in late July, but his arrival was delayed. Vozinha acknowledged receiving other offers but maintained that the Chilean club was always his first choice.

“From day one, I knew where I wanted to play. I received many offers, but Colo-Colo was always the priority,” said Josimar Évora Dias, widely known as Vozinha — a nickname that means “granny” in Portuguese.

Finalizing the deal required overcoming a unique regulatory hurdle: Chilean football rules state that players must wear their legal surnames on their jerseys.

The goalkeeper acknowledged the prospect of dropping his moniker was frustrating but welcomed the Chilean Football Federation’s decision to grant a special exception.

“It is the name I have used my entire life. In Cape Verde, it holds great significance and a rich history, and now it does globally as well,” he said. “If my grandmother were alive today, I think she would be proud. I hope to keep using it for the rest of my career as a tribute.”

Vozinha landed at Santiago Airport on Sunday to a raucous welcome from fans armed with flags, signs, and drums.

He passed his medical and signed his contract on Monday (August 3), joined his new teammates for training Tuesday, and could make his debut this Sunday when league-leading Colo-Colo face Unión La Calera.

“The World Cup was the best thing that ever happened to me in football, but that is in the past now. Being here representing Colo-Colo — a massive club with a rich history — is the highlight of my club career,” he added.

His stellar performances against powerhouses like Spain, Uruguay, and Argentina transformed him into a global sensation, driving his social media following from under 50,000 to nearly 30 million in a matter of weeks.

Now, the goalkeeper who earned a spot in the FIFA World Cup Best XI looks to channel that momentum in South America.

“Playing in the World Cup comes with immense pressure. I played against the best national teams in the world, and now I just want to work hard and help this team achieve its goals,” Vozinha said.

Vozinha, the breakout Cape Verde goalkeeper who rose to global fame during the World Cup, will be allowed to display his nickname on his jersey when he joins Chilean football.

The exception was unanimously approved on Friday (July 31, 2026) by the ANFP, which organizes Chile’s Primera Division.

The decision required amending league regulations, which previously mandated that players wear only their surnames on their jerseys. Top executives across Chilean clubs backed the request on behalf of the player, whose full name is Josimar José Évora Dias.

However, questions continue to mount over the goalkeeper’s actual arrival. Announced a week ago as a marquee signing for Colo-Colo — Chile’s most decorated club — the 40-year-old Vozinha was initially scheduled to land in Santiago on Tuesday (July 28). After visa issues delayed his travel to Thursday (July 30), he ultimately failed to board his flight, raising alarms among the club and its fanbase.

Amid growing concern, Colo-Colo director Jaime Pizarro insisted the deal was still on.

“We have been in contact with his agent as recently as a few minutes ago,” Pizarro told reporters late on Thursday (July 30), explaining that Vozinha requested an extension to “resolve some personal matters” that he did not elaborate on.

During the ANFP meeting, Colo-Colo president Aníbal Mosa reportedly acknowledged the contract has not yet been signed. According to details leaked to local media, being allowed to use his nickname on his shirt was one of Vozinha’s conditions for accepting the deal.

Colo-Colo coach Fernando Ortiz backed Pizarro on Friday (July 31), confirming he spoke directly with the goalkeeper while remaining cautious about the transfer.

“We spoke, and I could tell he was happy and pleased,” Ortiz said during a press conference. “Although he isn’t very expressive by nature, he is excited about the prospect of coming here — though he obviously has personal matters to take care of. The excitement surrounding a figure like him entering our league is understandable. Let’s hope he resolves his situation soon so we can count on him.”

Despite being active on social media, Vozinha has not yet publicly commented on the potential move to Chile. Coach Ortiz, however, remained unfazed: “Things are being done the right way,” he emphasized.

Africa set a record by sending nine of its teams to the knockout rounds of the World Cup. But seven of them were eliminated in the first round.

Ghana was the last African team to play in the Round of 32 on Friday (July 3, 2026) night, and the white-clad Black Stars went down with a whimper in a 1-0 loss to Colombia. That left only Morocco, which made a surprising run to the semifinals four years ago in Qatar, and Egypt to carry the hopes of the continent when they play for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Morocco faces Canada in the first Round of 16 matchup on Saturday in Houston. Egypt survived a shootout with Australia earlier on Friday to earn a date with Lionel Messi and defending champion Argentina on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Argentina and Cabo Verse players compete for the ball during their Round of 32 match
| Photo Credit:
Imagn Images via REUTERS

La Albiceleste nearly made history of their own at the expense of Cape Verde on Friday, when the tiny island nation off the western coast of Africa took them to extra time. Argentina ultimately prevailed 3-2 in one of the best matches of the tournament.

‘Great pride’ for Africa

“It’s a source of great pride so many African teams qualified for the round of 32,” Congo coach Sébastien Desabre said.

Africa has never sent three teams to the Round of 16. The most is two, when Senegal advanced alongside Morocco four years ago, and at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, when Algeria and Nigeria both made it — and were promptly beaten.

“For a long time, African nations have been doubted in what they can do at major competitions,” Ghana forward Brandon Thomas-Asante said earlier this week, “and I’m glad to see so much success among all the African nations, and it just shows much talent there is all across the world, and Africa is no different.”

Indeed, even in defeat, African teams acquitted themselves well at the World Cup.

Congo led most of its match against England before Harry Kane scored two late goals to rescue the Three Lions. Belgium needed two goals in the waning minutes of regulation before the eventual winner with seconds left in extra time against Senegal. Ivory Coast was even with Norway until Erling Haaland’s goal in the 86th minute lifted the Vikings into the round of 16.

DR Congo fans in Kinshasa react as they watch the World Cup match against England
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

South Africa lost to Canada and Algeria to Switzerland when, like Ghana on Friday night, those teams were unable to score.

“Well, all teams that get to the Round of 32 have the will to go forward,” Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said.

“Some get there wanting to continue — wanting to continue their adventure — and others will be happy (just to be there). There are certain teams that are a lot stronger on paper, but at this World Cup, we realise you can’t really be sure of anything. You can’t be sure that the strong teams will prevail over the less strong ones. We’ve had several examples of that.”

Lionel Messi and Argentina beat Cabo Verde 3-2 on Friday (July 3, 2026) and advanced to the World Cup Round of 16 in a thrilling match in which the tiny island nation challenged the reigning champion until the final minutes of extra time.

The go-ahead score for Argentina was credited as an own-goal after Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Cabo Verde’s Diney Borges in the 111th minute.

Argentina vs Cabo Verde, FIFA World Cup Highlights

Messi scored early in regulation, his record-extending 20th career World Cup goal. Lisandro Martinez scored in the 103rd to put Argentina ahead 2-1.

Cabo Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal against Argentina during the World Cup round of 32 match
| Photo Credit:
AP

Sidny Lopes Cabral and Deroy Duarte scored for Cabo Verde — both equalisers that stunned the pro-Argentina crowd in South Florida.

Argentina advanced to face Egypt, which beat Australia in a penalty shootout earlier Friday, in Atlanta on Tuesday.

Cabo Verde’s dream run ends

Cabo Verde’s memorable World Cup debut had been a stunning run that few outside the tiny island nation off the western coast of Africa could have predicted.

Behind the stellar play of 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, Cabo Verde became the smallest country to reach the knockout round, securing surprising draws against Spain and Uruguay and another against Saudi Arabia.

Vozinha had 10 saves against Argentina, including five against Messi.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi controls the ball before scoring their first goal during the World Cup round of 32 match between Argentina and Cabo Verde in Miami Gardens
| Photo Credit:
AP

Messi added another brilliant goal to his resume, sneaking behind the Cabo Verde defence on a well-timed run as Martinez lofted a pass toward him, taking a quick touch and hammering a finish into the roof of the net past goalkeeper Vozinha for a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.

The Argentina captain has seven goals in this tournament — one more France’s Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race as the top scorer in this year’s World Cup — and extended his World cup record, moving two goals ahead of Mbappé on the all-time list. He has 12 goals during his record eight-match scoring streak.

The script was written long ago — small island nation, eliminated at the group stage, goes home with a good story. Cape Verde has not read it.

Three games in at the 2026 World Cup, it is unbeaten, through to the knockouts, and nobody is quite sure what to expect from the African nation.

Cape Verde became a FIFA member in 1986. After failing to qualify for the 2002 extravaganza with a loss to Algeria in the Qualifiers, the country made steady progress.

Cape Verde attained its first AFCON qualification in 2013 and came close to sealing a World Cup berth in 2022, only to fall short at the final hurdle due to a last-game draw against Nigeria.

Four years later, it went one better — topping its CAF group ahead of Cameroon to book its tickets for the North American showpiece.

Cape Verde’s first test was against a Spanish side that had dismantled defences on the way to the EURO 2024 title. The Sharks held the Spaniards to a goalless draw through an exemplary display from their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha. They then came from behind to hold Uruguay 2-2.

Saudi Arabia, too, could not find a way past the Cape Verde defence.

It now has a date with Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the round of 32. A year ago, that sentence would have read as fiction. However, Bubista’s men have spent the last three weeks making the football world question everything it thought it knew. Why stop now?