Cape Verde hero v Spain, Vozinha replaced Hugo Souza in Portugal | OneFootball

The biggest surprise of the World Cup so far was the goalless draw between Spain and Cape Verde in the opening round of Group H. The standout of the match, 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar Jose Evora Dias “Vozinha”, drew worldwide attention for his strong performance.

Interestingly, the Cape Verdean hero was the one who replaced goalkeeper Hugo Souza at Chaves, in Portugal, when the black-and-white wall headed to Corinthians and left the Portuguese club. A starter for the former team of Timão’s keeper, the veteran also played for Gil Vicente in 2017 and stood out at AEL Limassol, of Cyprus, where he spent five seasons.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JUNE 15: Vozinha #1 of Cape Verde applauds the fans after the 0-0 draw during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match between Spain and Cape Verde at Atlanta Stadium on June 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Meet Vozinha

Josimar Jose Evora Dias, better known as Vozinha, was named after Josimar Pereira, Brazil’s full-back at the 1986 World Cup. The experienced goalkeeper has previously revealed that his nickname came from the way he was raised, since he grew up under the care of his grandparents.

“The nickname comes from my grandparents. I never lived with my parents. When I was born, my father was in military service and my mother always had to work to make a living. So I always grew up with my grandparents. In my neighborhood, the boys were much older, and I was always playing in the street, taking a lot of knocks. I was very good with my feet, competitive, and rebellious—I didn’t like losing. I took a lot of hits, and whenever I couldn’t get even, I’d go home angry, with a sour face, and they would make fun of me, saying I was going home to complain to my grandparents,” the player said recently.

Considered one of the greatest players in Cape Verde’s history, the goalkeeper has made 91 appearances for his national team.

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