He paid the price for shining at the World Cup: Fofana suffers after fame and talks about offers from Saudi Arabia

The Blue Sharks' goalkeeper laments the loss of composure!

Cape Verde goalkeeper Josimar Dias "Vozinha" has looked back wistfully on the days before fame found him. His standout performances at the 2026 World Cup carried the Blue Sharks to the round of 16 on their first ever appearance at the tournament.

Speaking to The Observer magazine, cited by Marca newspaper, Vozinha admitted he prefers the life he had before, because he "lost his peace and comfort". He explained: "I no longer have privacy, or at least it has become far less. When I go to a restaurant there is always someone who wants a photo or an autograph, and worse than that, someone filming me. This is what has changed most of all in my life, and I don't think I can do anything about it."

The moment he realised he had become a phenomenon came during the World Cup itself: "One of the national team's catering staff (food services) told me I had millions of followers. I thought he was joking with me, then a journalist from CazéTV showed me my phone and I saw more than a million followers… then I decided to turn off Instagram notifications."

Sponsorships come with a red line. "I only did one promotional collaboration at the World Cup. At present I do not want to work with tobacco, alcohol or betting brands," he said.

Kooora forums

Read also: Hossam Hassan picks Salah's replacement

"Many people want fame but they only see the positive side," he said. "If I were given the choice between my life now and my life before, I would choose the one I was living before."

Those around him have felt the change too. "They have to learn to live with the situation and set boundaries," he said, revealing that he postponed his retirement after the World Cup.

There are upsides. "It is nice to feel that I am something of an ambassador, but what we achieved was a collective effort. We made history, and it is best to use this momentum to develop our country and improve the living conditions of our people."

His move to Chile's Colo-Colo, he explained, came down to intent: "They were the ones who showed me the most interest. I did not receive offers from the United States, and there were contacts with Saudi Arabia but nothing concrete. I hope to play in the Copa Libertadores soon."

Read also: Video: "You thief": a blatant insult to the referee: Di María imitates Messi and is crowned in the Super Cup