The 2026 World Cup changed Vozinha's career on and off the field. The Cape Verde goalkeeper, one of the great revelations of the tournament, not only conquered the fans with his performances under the three posts, he also became a true phenomenon on the internet.

Thanks to his outstanding World Cup participation, Vozinha went from having less than 50,000 followers to more than 28 million on Instagram, a figure that places him as the goalkeeper with the most followers on that platform.

Vozinha leaves Casillas, Keylor Navas and Dibu Martínez behind

Vozinha's growth has been so impressive that he already surpasses some of the most important goalkeepers of the last two decades.

The Cape Verde goalkeeper has accumulated more than 28 million followers on Instagram, above Iker Casillas, who has just over 20 million, and also Keylor Navas, who has around 19 million.

The difference is also considerable compared to Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, world champion with Argentina, who has around 15 million followers. That is, Vozinha has almost double the digital community of the Albiceleste goalkeeper.

Even other figures of international stature such as Thibaut Courtois, Marc-André ter Stegen, David de Gea and Manuel Neuer appear below the veteran African goalkeeper.

The 2026 World Cup changed Vozinha's life

Before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Vozinha was a little-known footballer outside of Portugal and Cape Verde. However, his performances against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the group stage made him one of the big surprises of the tournament.

The moment that finally boosted his popularity came in the round of 32, when he faced Lionel Messi and Argentina. Although Cape Verde fell 3-2 in extra time, the goalkeeper's multiple saves were widely recognized by fans and specialists around the world.

That performance caused millions of users to begin following his Instagram account, making it a viral phenomenon during the competition.

The future of Vozinha points to a new challenge

Vozinha's present also changed on a sporting level.

The experienced goalkeeper ended his contract with GD Chaves of Portugal at the end of the season and is currently analyzing offers to define the next step in his career.

Various reports indicate that Inter Miami is one of the clubs that is closely monitoring his situation, while other versions point to a possible destination in Brazil. For now, the Cape Verde goalkeeper remains a free agent, although his name has become one of the most striking on the market after the 2026 World Cup.