He couldn't afford to take his mother to the World Cup, yet he sparked the tournament's biggest upset.

Written by Han Bing The West African island nation of Cape Verde, ranked just 67th in the world, earned its first-ever World Cup point against Spain, the tournament's top favorite ranked 2nd globally. As the second-smallest host nation in World Cup history (4,033 km²) and the third-least populous (520,000), this debutant stunned everyone with the biggest upset of the tournament so far.

Vozinha, Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper worth only €50,000, made seven saves to thwart eight Spanish attackers valued at a combined €585 million. This match introduced the world to Vozinha and the small island nation, proving that World Cup expansion doesn't lower competitiveness but rather breeds more upsets and hidden gems.

Cape Verde covers just 4,033 km²—only larger than fellow debutant Curaçao in World Cup history. Its population of 520,000 ranks third-lowest, behind Iceland (350,000) and Curaçao (150,000). The starting XI cost a mere €15.35 million, with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha at €50,000, captain and winger Mendes at €200,000, and center-back Lopes at €250,000. The entire Cape Verdean lineup was worth less than Spain's right-back Llorente alone (€20 million).

Yamal and Nico Williams didn't start, but Spain's lineup still boasted a total value of €515 million—33.5 times that of Cape Verde. Despite being the top betting favorite, Spain fired 27 shots but couldn't beat Vozinha. Even after halftime substitutions of Yamal, Nico Williams, and Olmo—three key attackers—they found no success. The match was played at Atlanta Stadium in a constant 27°C, leaving Spain without even the excuse of heat.

Spain's attack was sluggish throughout, with 27 shots but only 7 on target and no goals. The 40-year-old Cape Verdean goalkeeper made seven saves—the third-most in a single World Cup match since 2018. He denied threats from Pedri, Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Laporte, and Merino, keeping a clean sheet against eight Spanish attacking stars worth a combined €600 million.

Spanish media compared this upset—the biggest of the current World Cup—to Saudi Arabia's 2-1 win over Argentina four years ago. The only saving grace for Spain was that they didn't lose to a tiny West African island team ranked 65 places below them. In the 38th minute, Ferran Torres hit the crossbar, and Oyarzabal's header off the rebound was the closest they came to scoring.

The hero of this massive upset was Vozinha, Cape Verde's 40-year-old, 22-day-old goalkeeper. He became the third-oldest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in World Cup history, behind Italy's Dino Zoff (40 years, 130 days) and England's Peter Shilton (40 years, 281 days). He is also the second-oldest starter and the oldest World Cup debutant. Since 1966, he is only the second goalkeeper aged 40 or older to make at least seven saves in a single World Cup match.

His real name is Josimar Dias, but his nickname "Vozinha" comes from the local Creole word for "little grandmother." Raised by his grandparents on São Vicente Island because his father served in the military and his mother worked, the nickname was given by his grandmother and also stems from childhood: whenever he was knocked down while playing football and couldn't retaliate, he would go straight home. Playmates teased him for "telling grandma," so "Vozinha" has been his most-used name since childhood.

Vozinha's birth name, Josimar, was inspired by the legendary Brazilian full-back from the 1986 World Cup, a tribute from his Brazilian football-fan father. Initially, his father chose "Valdano" after the Real Madrid legend, but civil registration refused it, so they used Josimar. When Vozinha joined Angolan club Progresso do Sambizanga at age 26, there was already a goalkeeper with the same name. Not wanting to be called "Josimar II" or "Little Josimar," he chose the name honoring his grandmother's upbringing.

Vozinha only joined Portuguese second-division side Gil Vicente at age 30, and his career took him to Angola, Moldova, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Portugal. After losing his starting spot in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and Cape Verde failing to qualify for the 2025 edition, he considered retirement. But teammates persuaded him to continue, and two years later, he stood on the World Cup stage, fulfilling his biggest dream.

Vozinha was named Man of the Match, and his social media followers skyrocketed from 50,000 to over 5 million—more than ten times Cape Verde's entire population. In May, his contract with Chaves expired, so he entered the World Cup as an unemployed player, becoming the biggest star in Cape Verdean football history. He not only made seven saves to keep a clean sheet but also delivered 23 long passes to relieve defensive pressure, letting Spain feel the threat of Cape Verde's counterattacks.

Though his World Cup debut made him an overnight sensation, Vozinha tearfully embraced veteran Stoppila after the match. His grandparents had passed away, and his parents couldn't afford the travel visas (Cape Verdean citizens must pay a mandatory refundable bond of up to $15,000 before the visa is issued, on top of the visa fee) to witness their son's moment of glory.