Vozinha: Flamengo hero ‘to blame’ for Cape Verde keeper's name | OneFootball

Vozinha was born during the 1986 World Cup

Butterfly effect! Cape Verde’s goalkeeper at the World Cup, who goes by the nickname Vozinha, is named Josimar because of the indirect influence of a Flamengo idol. The keeper was named after the full-back from the 1986 World Cup. However, the player originally called up for that position was Mengão legend Leandro, who ended up asking to be left out. Here’s the story.

A huge fan of Brazilian football, Vozinha’s father, Zé Pedro, was dazzled by two stunning goals scored by right-back Josimar at the 1986 World Cup, against Northern Ireland and Poland. So he decided to pay tribute to the player who made history with Botafogo.

HOW DOES LEANDRO FIT INTO THE STORY?

A world champion with Flamengo in 1981, Leandro was an undisputed starter before the 1986 World Cup. But during preparations for the tournament, on a day off, the red-and-black idol and Renato Gaúcho went out for a barbecue and returned late to the team camp.

Because of the indiscipline, Renato Gaúcho was cut from the World Cup squad. Outraged by the Brazilian Football Confederation’s (CBF) decision, Leandro made a gesture of solidarity toward the forward and asked to be left out of the tournament as well. It is worth noting that the Flamengo player would not have been punished for the night out.

DID THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT STOP THERE?

Josimar was only called up for the World Cup after Leandro asked to be excused. The other full-back already guaranteed a place in the tournament was Édson Boaro, who would naturally have become the starter. However, the replacement got injured, opening the door for the Botafogo player who inspired Vozinha’s name.

WHAT DOES VOZINHA SAY ABOUT THE SITUATION?

— During the 1986 World Cup, when I was born, my father paid this tribute. I think Josimar was a left-back who scored goals from the far right, and that’s why my father gave me that name. My father was very clear about that — Vozinha told GE, with his father backing up the story.

— I was away from home on another island in Cape Verde doing military service, on Santiago Island. His name was only officially registered after the World Cup. Here in Cape Verde there is a classification system, a regulation for names that can be accepted. There are rules; sometimes they allow them and sometimes they don’t. With that in mind, I sent two names home — said Vozinha’s father, Zé Pedro.

— The first was Jorge Valdano, which was rejected. In fact, to this day, in the family, we call him Dani. I admired Brazilian players like Sócrates, Alemão, Zico. It was a star-studded national team, and I really liked watching Josimar play — he added.

WHEN DOES VOZINHA TAKE THE FIELD?

Vozinha, who could have been Leandro but ended up being Josimar, will make his World Cup debut next Monday (15) against one of the tournament favorites, Spain. After that, Cape Verde will face Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group H.

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