The 2025 men’s FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada has produced no shortage of underdog stories, and 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha stands out as one of the tournament’s most unexpected breakout sensations. Now, fresh off his standout performances on soccer’s biggest global stage, the veteran shot-stopper finds himself a free agent after his contract with Portuguese second-tier side Chaves expired — and he has not ruled out continuing his playing career in Brazil, where local fans turned him into a social media sensation overnight.
In an exclusive interview with Brazilian journalist and digital influencer Daniel Braune, Vozinha confirmed that his deal with Deportivo Chaves has reached its end, and he is actively searching for a new club to extend his professional career. The goalkeeper catapulted to international attention immediately after his heroic performance in Cape Verde’s opening group stage match against reigning European champion Spain on June 15, where he kept a clean sheet to secure a historic 0-0 draw for the first-time World Cup qualifiers. He followed that iconic showing with another solid performance in a 2-2 draw against South American powerhouse Uruguay, cementing his reputation as one of the tournament’s biggest surprise standouts.
“I ended my contract with my previous club, Deportivo Chaves, and at the moment I still don’t have anything lined up,” Vozinha told Braune in the interview published on Braune’s YouTube channel. “I’m open to everything. Let’s see what comes up.”
Brazilian internet communities have embraced Vozinna as a fan favorite, with prominent Brazilian influencer Casimiro Miguel, widely known as Cazé, driving a massive surge in his online following. Before the World Cup, Vozinha had roughly 50,000 followers on Instagram; that number has now exploded to nearly 16 million, all thanks to organic viral promotion from Brazilian fans. Speaking about the possibility of playing in Brazil, Vozinna expressed open enthusiasm. “It would be good,” he said with a smile. “We’ll see.”
The goalkeeper already has experience with the country, having previously held a preseason training camp there when he played for Angolan side Progresso do Sambizanga. Beyond a potential playing move, he says he is eager to return to Brazil even for a visit to thank the fans that lifted him to global fame. “If I have the opportunity, I’d like to go, also to thank everyone for all of their support,” he said. “And I think that many of my teammates want to go as well.”
Growing up, Vozinha cited three legendary goalkeepers as his career idols: Belgium’s Michel Preud’homme, Dutch great Edwin van der Sar, and Italy’s iconic Gianluigi Buffon. Right now, however, all of his focus is fixed on one goal: leading first-time World Cup entrant Cape Verde out of the group stage and into the knockout round. A victory over Saudi Arabia this Friday in Houston will be enough to secure the small island nation — home to just over 500,000 people — a spot in the round of 32.
“My dream, and the dream of all Cape Verdeans, is to reach the next round,” he said. “It’s huge just to be in the World Cup, and to advance when no one thought that we could even get a point, would be extraordinary.”