Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha imposed himself as an extraordinary star in his country Cape Verde's match against Argentina, which ended in a 3-2 victory for the latter, after he fought valiantly to defend his goal and delivered an exceptional performance that earned him a rating of 8.4, according to statistical platforms and websites.
The 40-year-old goalkeeper proved that age is just a number on the World Cup stage, as he became a genuine nightmare for Lionel Messi and his teammates, standing as an impenetrable wall against the relentless attacks of the "Tango" side, leading the "Blue Sharks" to a historic contest that lasted through extra time.
Vozinha's brilliance was clearly reflected in the numbers, as he succeeded in making 8 decisive saves throughout the marathon match, including 5 saves inside the penalty area from balls that were heading into the net from one-on-ones and close-range shots by Argentina's stars.
His bravery was not confined to the goal line; he also demonstrated sharp reading of the game and great boldness through 3 successful sweeping interventions, with which he neutralised crosses and long balls before they could become dangerous, granting his defensive line greater reassurance and resilience.
Beyond protecting his goal, the veteran goalkeeper proved himself to be a complete modern keeper within Cape Verde's system, having contributed to denying the opposition counter-attacks with 12 successful ball recoveries. He also executed a successful dribble under intense pressure from the Argentine forward line, reflecting his great confidence in his own abilities.
Vozinha continued his leadership role in building play, supplying his teammates in the forward lines with 8 successful long balls, before leaving the pitch with his head held high, having earned the respect of spectators and delivered one of the most outstanding goalkeeping performances at the 2026 World Cup.