CAPE VERDE GOALKEEPER VOZINHA SAYS WORLD CUP FAME COST HIS PRIVACY

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has said the attention he gained after the 2026 World Cup has cost him his privacy. He made seven saves as Cape Verde held Spain to a goalless draw in their opening match. "I have lost my peace and tranquillity. I don't have privacy anymore, or at least much less than before," he said. He said a quiet trip to a restaurant now brings requests for photographs and autographs, and strangers recording him on their phones.

Vozinha had been playing for Chaves in Portugal's second tier before the tournament, largely unnoticed outside football. His profile changed after Brazilian broadcaster CazeTV urged its audience to follow him during the Spain match. One report said his Instagram following rose from around 56,000 to more than one million within hours, while another put the increase at 29 million. A member of the catering staff told him he had "a billion followers," which he took as a joke, until a CazeTV journalist showed him the real figures. He then turned off his Instagram notifications, he said, "so I wouldn't be tempted to keep checking who was following me."

Vozinha said supporters had begun visiting his mother's home in Cape Verde, while his father, more reserved, kept his distance. He said his family now has to set boundaries without him there to help. Numerous brands approached him, but he accepted only one promotional partnership during the tournament and ruled out tobacco, alcohol and betting companies. He said the experience showed him how fame looks different from the outside: "A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality."