"I would choose my old life": sensational fame at the World Cup has become a burden for goalkeeper hero Vozinha

Cape Verde's national goalkeeper Vozinha is visibly suffering from the downside of his worldwide fame after the World Cup, as he told the English newspaper The Observer.

For the 40-year-old goalkeeper, the sudden hype has brought one thing above all: a serious loss of privacy. "If I had the choice between my life today and my earlier life, I would choose my earlier life," Vozinha revealed in an interview with the newspaper.

In August, traditional Chilean club Colo Colo Santiago de Chile welcomed him like a rock star. Since then, the calm and peace he once had have slipped away. For the candidate in the vote for the world's best goalkeeper, that huge fame is becoming more of a burden in public.

"When I go to a restaurant, someone constantly wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph," he said. "Even worse: someone films me." In Vozinha's view, people often overlook the other side of success: "Many people want to be famous and be in the public eye, but they only see the positive sides of this reality."

Now the hype is also affecting those closest to him. His mother gets daily visits from supporters in his home town, while his reserved father has learned to keep his distance. According to Vozinha, both first have to learn to set boundaries: "I'm not there, so I can't help them."

How many followers did Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha gain around the 2026 World Cup?

Vozinha's rise went viral around the World Cup. Before the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, his Instagram profile had fewer than 50,000 followers. By the final weekend, that number had climbed to more than 29 million. A little more than two months after the tournament, his account still has around 28.4 million followers.

That reach has brought plenty of commercial enquiries for Vozinha. "I know that during the World Cup many companies and brands wanted to work with me," he said. He does not know what offers will come in future, but he is clear when it comes to choosing his advertising partners: there will be no partnerships with companies from the tobacco, alcohol or sports betting sectors.

After the World Cup, the goalkeeper had originally planned to end his international career. He still feels fit, though, so he is continuing in the Cape Verde shirt for the time being. He is currently playing Africa Cup qualifiers with the national team. Following a 3-1 opening defeat against Mali, the team face Rwanda on Tuesday.