- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,194,196
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha has become a household name since his heroics against Spain -Credit
ATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP via Getty ImagesAfter helping his national team to a stunning goalless tie with 2010 FIFA World Cup champions Spain in what was their tournament debut, the 40-year-old shot stopper has seen his star rise faster than anyone could have imagined.
The journeyman keeper let the emotions flow after shutting out Spain, with camera crews and photographers capturing the joyous moment for Vozinha, who later revealed that while his Player of the Match performance validated his decades of hard work, he was sad his mother wasn’t able to watch from the stands.
He told reporters that his mom, Ana Candida Evora, was not able to make the trip to the U.S. as a result of unspecified visa issues.
- Australian soccer fans' anti-Donald Trump chant could spark World Cup controversy
- FIFA World Cup referee under investigation for alleged 'white supremacy' gesture
You must be registered for see images attach
The 40-year-old was named Man of the Match in Atlanta -Credit:Maddie Meyer - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Luckily for them both, Vozinha’s story pulled on the heartstrings of politicians on both sides, with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the Minority Leader of the U.S House of Representatives, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio coming together - along with FIFA and the government of Cape Verde - to secure Evora’s passage to America.
“That joy was tempered a bit when Vozinha tearfully revealed that his own mother was unable to watch her son’s iconic performance in person due to visa complications,” Jeffries said in a statement. “No mother should miss the chance to see her child make history.
“Upon learning of this development, I spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and asked the State Department to do everything in their power to ensure that his mother can attend Cabo Verde’s next match.
“It is a privilege to announce that Vozinha’s mom will be able to secure a visa in time to attend their game this Sunday against Uruguay. All fees have been waived consistent with official policy. Travel arrangements are now being made for mother and son to reunite in Miami.”
Now with his mom set to cheer him on from the stands at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, when the Blue Sharks take on Uruguay, Vozinha has opened up on his whirlwind week, which has led to a jump in his Instagram following from 50,000 prior to his performance against Spain, to 14.3 million as of Friday afternoon.
To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE
“For me, this is very important because all my family always supports me in everything,” he said, via Reuters. “And to have her here, for me, it's something special. My father also is here and my brother, so I am very happy. I wish I could bring more, maybe my brothers and sisters and nephews, but I think sometimes it's difficult.”
Handling this level of notoriety is a first for Vozinha, who has spent his career playing in Cape Verde, Angola, Moldova, Slovakia, Cyprus, and Portugal. However, with another tough game ahead, he believes he is adept at keeping his eyes on the prize, so to speak.
“I've always been a focused person. Of course, it's not easy to manage all of this, but I try not to get too involved in it and to spend as little time as possible on the phone and on social media,” he said.
“Because I am here because of the national team, because of football, because of the World Cup. It's a dream I've had since childhood, and now I'm living it. I don't think there can be anything more important than that to distract me from my focus.
“I'm very grateful for everything, but please let's speak about football.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Vozinha's mom, Ana Candida Evora (center), recently arrived in Miami after being granted a visa -Credit
ATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP via Getty ImagesLooking ahead, Cape Verde still has at least two games remaining, with a trip to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, still to come on June 26, where they’ll take on Saudi Arabia to close out the group stage.
Vozinha noted that Cape Verde is “here to compete,” adding, “I don't think we can set the bar unrealistically high, because we know we are from a small country, a small national team. But we have a lot of quality, and we are ambitious.”
Continue reading...
