Cape Verde's veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, aged 40, was named player of the match after making seven saves in a historic 0-0 draw against Spain at the World Cup. However, he was in tears at full time because his mother could not afford the visa to travel to the United States to witness the game.
The goalkeeper described the match as the moment he had been working towards his entire life and expressed regret that he could not share it with his late grandparents and his mother.
Visa Issues Prevent Mother from Attending
In January, the US government added Cape Verde to a list of countries whose citizens must post a returnable bond of up to $15,000 before traveling to the US, in addition to the visa fee. This made it impossible for Vozinha's mother to complete her application in time.
Vozinha, who has been Cape Verde's first-choice goalkeeper for 13 years, said: "I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they were not here; they died a few years ago. They were everything for me. I also cried because my mum didn't manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa, we didn't manage to get it done on time. I would like her to be here, but I'm also very happy."
Emotional Victory for the Team
He added: "I have worked my whole life for this moment. I'm 40 years old. I started playing football professionally when I was 25, in 2012. I thought about leaving but I continued because of this dream. This is for everyone. I was named man of the match but this is for all of my teammates because without them nothing would be possible. I will continue to work for Cape Verde and for the people."
Spain dominated possession but struggled to break down Cape Verde's well-organized defense. Ferran Torres hit the crossbar in the European champions' best chance, while Vozinha stopped everything else that was on target.
Vozinha emphasized the team's unity: "Our best weapon is our unity. The way we treat our family is our best strength. Everyone thought we came here just to enjoy the World Cup, but we know we have a team that deserves respect. It's our first time, but we are here to compete and to fight for our country. We will play all the games with our strategy and our coach's tactics. I hope we can win some games and, who knows, maybe go through to the next round. I am very happy and proud of all our players."
Cape Verde head coach Bubista said: "Vozinha is overwhelmed by the emotion. He has made a huge effort to be here, and those were tears of resilience. I don't like to talk about individuals, but he played so well. The team was calm and that helped to keep him calm. This means everything for the country. We've always said that we want the whole world to see how our team plays. We showed courage, playing in a way that is a metaphor for our country: with resilience and overcoming obstacles."
