Vozinha’s odd issue at his new club and his huge pay rise | OneFootball

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 regulations of the National Professional Football Association (ANFP) prevent him from using his now-famous nickname on his jersey.

Article 36 of the First Division rules states that players must be identified by their paternal and/or maternal surname on the back of the jersey, with a height of between 5 and 5.5 centimeters. The rule is explicit: “Nicknames, aliases, or monikers will not be allowed”. As a result, the goalkeeper who became a sensation during 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 leadership to push for a change to 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 “little grandmother” in Portuguese, and its origin dates 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 military — young Josimar had a habit of running to his grandmother whenever he got upset during street games with older boys. That bond gave him the nickname by which he is now known around the world.

Beyond the regulatory issue, the financial details of the contract have also come 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 jump represented by the contract is considerable. According to Redgol, at GD Chaves, a club in Portugal’s second division, Vozinha earned less than $10,000 a month.

The team’s salary ceiling is still occupied by 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 monthly (USD 74,000). With his 47 million, Vozinha is positioned 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, with the player ultimately ending up at Independiente. Faced with that situation, Colo Colo resumed negotiations with Vozinha, who reached an agreement as a free agent after the end of his deal with Chaves, a club in Portugal’s second division. The goalkeeper was named in the Best XI of the 2026 World Cup — the Golden Glove went to Spain’s Unai Simón — and was one of the standout players in Cape Verde’s historic run in the tournament, where the African side even managed to trouble Argentina in the round of 32.

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