The surprising issue Vozinha found at his new club and his huge pay rise | OneFootball

The Cape Verdean goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias, known worldwide as Vozinha, signed an 18-month contract with Colo Colo of Chile and will become one of the most eye-catching signings in Chilean soccer following his performance at the 2026 World Cup. But his arrival at the Cacique comes with a problem no one saw coming: the rules of the National Professional Football Association (ANFP) prevent him from using his now-famous nickname on his jersey.

Article 36 of the First Division Regulations states that players must be identified on the back of the jersey with their paternal and/or maternal surname, in letters between 5 and 5.5 centimeters high. The rule is explicit: “Nicknames, aliases, or sobriquets will not be allowed”. As a result, the goalkeeper who became a sensation at the World Cup will have to wear the surname “Évora” or “Dias” on his back, at least unless the regulations are changed.

According to Redgol, the only way for Vozinha to use his nickname is for the Blanco y Negro board to push for a change in the tournament rules before the Council of Presidents. If that initiative does not succeed, the 40-year-old goalkeeper will play under his surname, like any other player in the league.

The nickname has a personal story behind it. Vozinha means “granny” in Portuguese, and its origin goes back to the goalkeeper’s childhood in Mindelo, the second-largest city in Cape Verde. Raised by his grandparents—while his mother worked and his father served in the army—young Josimar had the habit of running to his grandmother every time he got upset during street matches with older boys. That bond gave him the nickname that now identifies him around the world.

Beyond the regulatory issue, the financial details of the contract also came to light. According to ADN Deportes, the goalkeeper will earn a monthly salary of around 47 million Chilean pesos ($48,000), a figure that places him in the middle range of the Monumental squad.

The financial leap represented by the contract is considerable. According to Redgol, at GD Chaves, a club in Portugal’s second division, Vozinha was earning less than $10,000 per month.

The team’s highest salary still belongs to Arturo Vidal, with monthly earnings close to 114 million pesos ($120,000), according to ADN Deportes. Behind the “King” are Claudio Aquino, with 80 million ($84,000), and Javier Correa, with 70 million per month (USD 74,000). With his 47 million, Vozinha is in a similar range to players such as Tomás Alarcón and Víctor Felipe Méndez, despite being one of the players with the greatest media profile at the moment.

The Cape Verdean’s arrival was finalized after the signing of Santiago Mele fell through, as he ultimately joined Independiente. Faced with that situation, Colo Colo resumed negotiations with Vozinha, who reached an agreement as a free agent after his contract with Chaves, a second-division club in Portugal, expired. The goalkeeper was included in the ideal XI of the 2026 World Cup—the Golden Glove went to Spain’s Unai Simón—and he was one of the standout players in Cape Verde’s historic run in the tournament, where the African national team even troubled Argentina in the round of 32.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.