Vozinha Joins Colo Colo: Cape Verde's World Cup Star Heads to Chile
Vozinha, Cape Verde’s 40-year-old World Cup sensation, is heading to Chile to join Colo Colo, the club have confirmed.
Club president Aníbal Mosa revealed the agreement on Friday evening, speaking to reporters before a league match and outlining the final steps before the veteran goalkeeper is unveiled at the Estadio Monumental.
“Vozinha is set to become a Colo Colo player; he will arrive in Chile in the coming days, undergo the necessary medical tests and will then be presented here at the Monumental Stadium,” Mosa said, before underlining why the Chilean giants are backing a keeper in his fourth decade. “He’s in very good form; that’s why we’re signing him.”
From late bloomer to World Cup hero
For most of his career, Josimar Jose Evora Dias lived well outside football’s spotlight. He did not sign his first professional contract until he was 26, a late start in a position usually ring-fenced early for prodigies. His path wound through Cyprus, Slovakia, Moldova and Angola, and most recently Chaves in Portugal’s second division.
Then came the World Cup.
Vozinha became one of the faces of Cape Verde’s remarkable run, producing standout performances that cut through the noise of a star‑studded tournament. He shut out eventual champions Spain in a gritty 0-0 draw in the group stage, then pushed finalists Argentina to the brink in a 3-2 extra-time defeat in the knock-out rounds. Those two nights alone rewrote his career.
The saves travelled the world. So did his story.
A cult hero in gloves
On the pitch, he emerged as the emotional anchor of a fearless Cape Verde side. Off it, he turned into an unlikely social media phenomenon.
With a significant boost from Brazilian influencer Casimiro, Vozinha’s Instagram following exploded, rocketing from around 50,000 to nearly 30 million. A veteran goalkeeper from a small island nation, playing in Portugal’s second tier, suddenly found himself with an audience to rival global superstars.
Now that online fame meets one of South America’s most demanding football environments.
Colo Colo bet on experience and momentum
Colo Colo, 34-time Chilean champions and currently holding a comfortable lead halfway through the season, are not signing a nostalgic name. They are betting on form, presence and the authority of a man who has just gone toe-to-toe with the best in the world.
In a squad already steering the title race, Vozinha arrives as both insurance and statement: a World Cup-tested goalkeeper walking into a dressing room that expects trophies. At 40, he will land in Santiago with more miles on his gloves than many of his new teammates have on their boots.
He comes from Chaves. He brings Cape Verde’s fairytale with him. Now he steps into the white shirt of Chile’s most decorated club, where fairytales are only tolerated if they end with silverware.
