Cape Verde's experienced goalkeeper Josimar Jose Evora Dias, popularly known as Vozinha, has officially signed with Colo-Colo, one of Chile's leading football clubs.
The 40-year-old joined the Chilean side on a six-month contract, with an option to extend for an additional year. He completed his medical examination earlier this week before the club announced the signing on social media.
World Cup Heroics Boost Profile
Vozinha gained international recognition during Cape Verde's debut appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in North America. His impressive goalkeeping helped the island nation advance past the group stage, securing draws against Spain and Uruguay, and narrowly losing to Argentina in the round of 32.
His performances sparked a surge in his social media following, with his Instagram followers jumping from about 50,000 to over 17 million after the tournament.
Debut and Jersey Name Approval
- Colo-Colo is expected to field Vozinha for the first time on August 16 in a league match against O'Higgins.
- The club successfully petitioned for the goalkeeper to wear his nickname "Vozinha" on his jersey, despite Chilean regulations typically prohibiting nicknames on shirts.
Nickname Origin and Career Journey
The nickname "Vozinha," meaning "little grandmother" in Portuguese, was given to him by older children during his youth due to his habit of rushing home to his grandparents after losing street football matches.
Before joining Colo-Colo, Vozinha played for clubs across Portugal, Angola, Cyprus, Moldova, and Slovakia, most recently featuring for Portuguese second division side Chaves.
