Cape Verde's hero goalkeeper Vozinha reveals his mum missed sensational World Cup performance against Spain because of visa troubles

In what will be remembered as a landmark night for African football, Cape Verde marked their first-ever men’s World Cup finals game by frustrating the reigning European champions. The Blue Sharks defied the odds to secure a point against a star-studded Spain side, with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha producing a string of world-class saves to keep the tournament favourites at bay.

The veteran shot-stopper, who currently plays for Portuguese second-tier side Chaves, was the emotional heartbeat of the team. After making seven crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet, he was named Player of the Match. However, as he celebrated with his teammates in Atlanta, his mind was on those who couldn't be there to share the glory.

Speaking to the media after his historic performance, Vozinha explained the personal difficulties that prevented his family from travelling to the United States. "I cried after the game because I grew up with my grandparents when I was a kid, and they could not be there. They passed away a few years ago. My mum could not be here either due to a visa issue and the money we had to pay for it. We did not manage to do this in time," the goalkeeper revealed.

Despite the absence of his closest relatives, Vozinha remained focused on the collective achievement of his nation. He added: "This is a message of thank you to everybody in Cape Verde. We are very happy after this; this group of players have worked a lot to live this moment. It’s a day to be proud and satisfied."

Vozinha's appearance wasn’t just significant for the result; it also wrote him into the record books. At 40 years and 12 days old, he became the oldest player to debut in a nation’s first-ever World Cup match. In the broader history of the competition, only Egypt legend Essam El Hadary has been older when making a World Cup debut at 45 years and 161 days in 2018.

Reflecting on his late rise to the top of the international game, the keeper said: "I am so proud about being man of the match. For me it’s an honour to represent the country I love. We are from a very small place, and our qualification path was very difficult too. Today, our dream came true by competing against a team like Spain. I am very proud of all the people involved in that process. We work in life to have moments like this. I am 40 now, but I was not a professional up until I was 25. This is a reward for all this journey."

With Uruguay and Saudi Arabia still to come in Group C, Cape Verde have real hope of progressing to the knockout rounds. For Vozinha, the journey from a late-blooming professional to a World Cup icon is one he still finds hard to believe. The goalkeeper, who has played in Moldova, Slovakia, and Cyprus, took a moment to reflect on his career path and what it means for his legacy.

He told reporters: "I would tell 18-year-old Vozinha to be really proud of himself. He worked a lot. To be honest I never dreamt of stuff like this when I was a kid, but after this game I can tell my younger version that it was all worth it."