World Cup Hero Vozinha Says He Misses His Old Life

Vozinha became one of the unexpected stars of this year’s World Cup. The Cape Verde goalkeeper impressed on football’s biggest stage, gained millions of followers and earned a move to Chilean giants Colo-Colo. But the sudden fame has also changed his life in ways he did not expect. The tournament gave smaller football nations such as Cape Verde an opportunity to introduce themselves to a global audience. Vozinha, whose full name is Josimar José Évora Dias, was already 40 years old when he produced a series of impressive performances at the World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States. Cape Verde even secured a draw against eventual champions Spain, with Vozinha playing an important role in the result. His performances quickly turned him into an online sensation. Before the tournament, he had fewer than 50,000 Instagram followers. By the weekend of the World Cup final, that figure had reportedly risen to more than 29 million. More than two months later, he still had around 28.4 million followers. From Portugal to Colo-Colo Vozinha’s new level of fame also helped change his club career. Before the World Cup, he had been playing in Portugal’s second division. In August, Chilean record champions Colo-Colo announced him as a new signing, where supporters welcomed him enthusiastically. But while his football career has benefited from his increased profile, Vozinha says there has also been a difficult side to becoming famous. ### “I would choose my old life” Speaking to *The Observer*, Vozinha said he would choose his previous life if given the option because he feels he has lost some of the peace and privacy he once enjoyed. He explained that ordinary activities such as visiting a restaurant now regularly lead to people asking for photographs or autographs, while others sometimes film him. For Vozinha, this has been one of the biggest adjustments since the World Cup. He said many people dream of becoming famous without necessarily considering the less enjoyable aspects of living in the public eye. The attention has also affected his family. According to Vozinha, fans regularly visit his mother, while his more reserved father has learned to distance himself from the attention. He said his family now has to learn how to establish boundaries, something that is more difficult for him to help with while living abroad. New Commercial Opportunities Vozinha’s rise has also attracted interest from companies hoping to work with him commercially. However, the goalkeeper said there are certain partnerships he is currently unwilling to accept, including promotions involving tobacco, alcohol or betting companies. His extraordinary World Cup journey transformed him from a relatively little-known veteran goalkeeper into an internationally recognised football figure. But for Vozinha, that transformation has also demonstrated that success and fame can come with significant changes away from the pitch.