- The story behind his name somehow makes him even more lovable. His real name is Josimar Dias, but he was raised by his grandparents and earned the nickname “Vozinha” – Portuguese for “little grandmother” or “granny” – because neighborhood kids teased him for always running home to them after getting beat up playing soccer. He eventually embraced the nickname, and now the entire world knows him by it.
- His Instagram growth needs to be studied by scientists! Vozinha entered the World Cup with around 50,000 followers. A few heroic performances later, he had more than 20 million and officially became the most-followed goalkeeper in the world, passing legends of the game in the process.
- Lionel Messi personally made sure he got a souvenir. After Vozinha nearly dragged Cape Verde past Argentina with a string of ridiculous saves, Messi sought him out after the match, told him his country should be proud, and handed over his jersey. Not a bad keepsake from work.
- Speaking of Messi… After entering the World Cup as an unsigned 40-year-old goalkeeper playing in Portugal’s second division, Vozinha’s heroics for Cape Verde reportedly caught the attention of Inter Miami CF. Suddenly, the guy who was making impossible saves against Messi might be sharing a locker room with him next season!
- His mom almost missed the biggest moment of his life. After Vozinha revealed that his mother couldn’t afford the costs associated with traveling to the United States for the World Cup, fans and public officials stepped in to help make the trip happen. She was eventually able to watch her son live on the world’s biggest stage.