Veteran Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has arrived in Chile to officially sign a six-month contract with Primera División leaders Colo-Colo. The 40-year-old star, who turned heads at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, overcame late transfer drama and kit regulation hurdles to join the Santiago-based club.
The football world watched in June as Cape Verde made a historic splash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. For veteran goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias—universally known as Vozinha—the tournament was more than a debut appearance on the global stage. It was a career-defining run that propelled the small island nation past the group stage before a narrow loss to Argentina in the last 32. Along the way, Cape Verde held eventual winners Spain and twice world champions Uruguay to draws in the group phase.
Those standout performances created an unprecedented surge in digital attention. The goalkeeper’s Instagram following exploded from roughly 50,000 to approximately 17.4 million following his heroics against Spain during the opening week of the tournament.
Arrival in Santiago Amid High Drama and Fan Adulation
Following his departure from Portuguese second-division side G.D. Chaves, the 40-year-old shot-stopper arrived at Santiago airport to a rapturous reception from thousands of supporters holding posters bearing his name, as detailed by Manorama Online. The move brings him to a heavyweight of Chilean football.
The journey to the Monumental David Arellano Stadium nearly took a sharp detour. Because Vozinha had not yet put pen to paper on a formal, legal contract with Colo-Colo despite the club’s early social media announcements, the eleventh-hour pivot created intense media attention before the deal was ultimately secured.
Overcoming Visa Delays and Historic Kit Regulations
Securing the veteran keeper required navigating significant administrative hurdles. Mathrubhumi English reported that visa delays and personal matters pushed back his scheduled arrival, though he successfully completed his medical examinations and administrative paperwork at the club’s headquarters.
Colo-Colo also had to secure special dispensation from rival clubs in the South American nation. League regulations in Chile prohibit players from using nicknames on their match jerseys. However, other Chilean clubs agreed to Colo-Colo’s formal request on July 31, granting permission for the goalkeeper to display the name “Vozinha” on his kit. The affectionate moniker—meaning little grandmother
in Portuguese—was given to him by older neighborhood kids when he was a boy who would cry after losing street football matches and run home to the grandparents he lived with.
Contract Terms and Domestic Title Ambitions
The newly unveiled player has committed to an initial six-month agreement with an option to extend for an additional season, backed by a salary package of approximately USD 25,000 per month.
He joins an institution steeped in continental history. As Mathrubhumi English noted, Colo-Colo remains the country’s sole Copa Libertadores winner, having captured South America’s flagship trophy in 1991. The club currently sits comfortably atop the Chilean Primera División table with 42 points from 17 matches, holding a commanding 12-point advantage over second-placed Universidad de Chile.
Reflecting on his remarkable path to the Chilean powerhouse during his official presentation, the goalkeeper emphasized his roots. Vozinha stated that he started playing professionally at 25 and came from a very small country with very few opportunities, almost none, as quoted by Mathrubhumi English. He added that he represents the Cape Verdean people, who work hard and never give up, noting that representing that is very rewarding for him.
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