Vozinha has become one of the breakout stars of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper went viral during the tournament after helping lead his country through a historic run in its first-ever World Cup appearance.
Cape Verde’s journey came to an end on Friday (July 3) after a dramatic 3-2 extra-time loss to Argentina in the Round of 32, but Vozinha still delivered another standout performance against Lionel Messi and the defending champions.
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What is Vozinha’s real name?
Vozinha is not the goalkeeper’s real name.
His full name is Josimar José Évora Dias. His father previously explained that he was named after Josimar, the Brazilian defender who played for Brazil at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
“They always support me in everything I do, so having my mother here is something special. My father is here too, and my brother as well, so I’m very happy,” the athlete said.
“I watched the matches and fell in love with the Brazilian national team,” he shared, per ABC News. “I really enjoyed it and there were a few players who stood out; one of them was Josimar, a right-back, who scored two goals and really made his mark at that World Cup.”
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What does Vozinha mean?
Vozinha‘s nickname is widely translated as “little granny” or “granny” in Portuguese.
The nickname is tied to his grandparents, who helped raise him while his father was serving in the military and his mother was working.
The name also stuck once he began his professional career. Vozinha said in a previous FIFA interview that when he arrived in Angola, there was already another goalkeeper named Josimar, and he didn’t want to use “Josimar II” on his shirt and kept the name everyone knew him by in Cape Verde.
Why is Vozinha going viral right now?
Vozinha became a World Cup fan favorite after Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw against Spain earlier in the tournament. He made seven saves in that match, helping Cape Verde earn a historic result against one of the tournament favorites. He later helped the team reach the knockout stage, where Cape Verde pushed Argentina to extra time before being eliminated.
Catch up with all of the latest news and updates about the 2026 World Cup right here!
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