Eight saves against Argentina. Meet Vozinha.
A 40-year-old goalkeeper from a nation of half a million people spent June stopping Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi. By the time Cape Verde's first World Cup ended in Miami, Josimar "Vozinha" Dias had 17 million new followers and a place in tournament folklore.
40
years old in Miami
8
saves vs Argentina
7
saves vs Spain
17.4M
Instagram followers, from 500K
Who is Vozinha?
Vozinha — born Josimar José Évora Dias — has been Cape Verde's number one for years, a veteran of the Blue Sharks' Africa Cup of Nations campaigns long before the world learned his name. At 40, he arrived at the 2026 World Cup as the oldest starting goalkeeper of his nation's first-ever finals appearance.
What followed was the kind of month goalkeepers dream about. Two clean sheets in three group matches, seven saves in a goalless draw against European champions Spain — Lamine Yamal included — and then the night in Miami that turned him from cult hero into global story.
July 3 in Miami: the Messi duel, minute by minute
Cape Verde met the defending champions in the round of 32 at Hard Rock Stadium and twice came from behind before the game reached extra time. Vozinha made eight saves — four at Messi's expense — before Argentina finally broke through, 3-2.
What the night nearly was
What Messi was dealing with
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From 500K to 17.4 million followers in three weeks
Before the tournament, Vozinha's Instagram sat at about half a million followers. After the Spain clean sheet it climbed; after Miami it detonated — 17.4 million by July 1, more than Tom Brady or Victor Wembanyama.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Vozinha?
- Vozinha is Cape Verde's number one goalkeeper — real name Josimar José Évora Dias — and the breakout star of the country's first-ever World Cup. At 40, he kept two clean sheets in three group games and finished the tournament as one of its most talked-about players.
- How old is Vozinha?
- He is 40, which made his shot-stopping against Spain's Lamine Yamal and Argentina's Lionel Messi all the more remarkable — players he conceded nothing to for long stretches were half his age.
- How many saves did Vozinha make against Argentina?
- Eight, four of them from Messi — including a 63rd-minute stop, a free kick in the 72nd, and a stoppage-time save that forced extra time. Argentina finally won 3-2 in the added period on July 3 in Miami.
- Why did Vozinha go viral?
- The saves came against the two biggest names available — a seven-save clean sheet against European champions Spain, then the Messi masterclass-denial in Miami. His Instagram following jumped from about 500,000 to 17.4 million in under three weeks, passing Tom Brady and Victor Wembanyama.
- Is Cape Verde still in the World Cup?
- No — the run ended with the 3-2 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the round of 32. Cape Verde left as the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage, unbeaten in 90 minutes across all four matches.