Minutes after the exceptional performance that led Cape Verde to a historic goalless draw against Spain at the 2026 World Cup, goalkeeper Vozinha — the "Blue Sharks" shot-stopper — found himself facing a surprise of a different kind, this time off the pitch: his Instagram following had surged from 50,000 to more than 3 million.
During a live television interview with a Brazilian channel, the presenter asked him whether he knew how many Instagram followers he had gained since the match. The goalkeeper appeared unaware of the scale of the impact his performance had made, suggesting he had heard his follower count may have reached around half a million.
The presenter quickly corrected the figure, noting that his account had only around 50,000 followers before the match, before adding — to the player's visible astonishment — "This is crazy... we launched a fan campaign for you."
She continued, celebrating the performance of the goalkeeper who had denied several dangerous Spanish chances: "What a match. Congratulations. Congratulations on your story. All of Brazil is with you. Brazil stopped to watch you today."
The Cape Verde goalkeeper became one of the standout stars of the round after playing a pivotal role in his country's side earning a precious point against one of the leading title contenders, in a match that ended 0-0.
The impact of his brilliance was not confined to the pitch; it extended to social media, where hundreds of thousands of new followers flooded his account within just a few hours — a scene reflecting the rapid transformation a single match at a major tournament can bring about.
By the time the presenter conducted the interview, his follower count had already reached one million, before surpassing the 3 million mark shortly afterwards.