Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha’s remarkable World Cup journey took an emotional turn on Friday as his mother arrived in Miami, securing a US visa just in time to watch her son’s team face Uruguay on Sunday.
Ana Candida Evora travelled from Praia, Cape Verde’s capital, after the US State Department granted her a visa.
This intervention followed Vozinha’s tearful comments after the tournament debutants’ surprising 0-0 draw with Spain, a match in which the 40-year-old was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.
Vozinha expressed his delight that his mother would finally witness him play at the World Cup in person, though he stressed his desire for the team to refocus on football as they prepare for a crucial match that could propel them closer to the knockout stages.
Evora emerged from the arrivals area at Miami International Airport at 3.53pm local time, wearing a pink shirt and smiling as she greeted Fifa-accredited staff.
Surrounded by officials, she navigated a small group of waiting reporters before taking an elevator, continuing her journey towards a reunion with her son ahead of Sunday’s Group H clash.
“I want to wish him good luck and a good match,” she told reporters.
It remains unclear whether she would immediately embark on the five-hour drive to Tampa, where her son is based, or await their reunion until Sunday.
Vozinha’s has enjoyed a stunning rise in popularity this week following his display against Spain.
Less than 24 hours after the game, Vozinha already had nearly 10 million Instagram followers — more than NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama (6.2 million) and NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes (6.4 million).
“Crazy, that’s crazy,” Vozinha told Brazilian YouTube channel CazéTV after the match that turned him into the biggest new name of the World Cup so far. It was CazéTV, the only channel in Brazil with the rights to all 104 World Cup games, that was taking credit for the huge surge in followers.
CazéTV is anchored by the popular Brazilian streamer Casimiro Miguel, known as Cazé. The channel has more than 31 million subscribers on YouTube and is known for sports broadcasts marked by a more informal and conversational approach, with a focus on community-based fan engagement.
While watching Vozinha’s performance during the broadcast, Cazé realised that the goalkeeper did not have many Instagram followers and began asking his audience to start following him.
