Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has joined Chilean powerhouse Colo-Colo after a memorable World Cup campaign, fulfilling his long-held ambition of playing for a major club.
Key takeaways
- The 40-year-old goalkeeper left Portuguese second-tier team Chaves for Colo-Colo.
- Vozinha helped Cape Verde reach the knockout phase at their first World Cup.
- His career has also included spells in Angola, Cyprus, Moldova and Slovakia.
- Colo-Colo are Chile’s most successful top-flight club, with 34 league championships.
- Cape Verde went out to Argentina by a narrow margin in the round of 32.
Vozinha gets his major-club opportunity
Vozinha became one of the tournament’s social-media talking points during the World Cup, where his goalkeeping helped the small Atlantic nation advance beyond the group stage. Cape Verde’s run ended with a close loss to Argentina in the last 32.
He moved to Colo-Colo following his departure from Chaves, who compete in Portugal’s second tier. Before reaching Chile, the goalkeeper had represented clubs in Angola, Cyprus, Moldova and Slovakia.
Although his previous teams had generally competed outside the biggest leagues and lacked the status of traditional giants, Vozinha said he had always considered himself capable of performing for an elite club.
“I played in modest leagues and for teams that were not major names, but I always believed inside that I was suited to a big club,” he said.
That conviction made Colo-Colo the clear choice when the offer arrived. Vozinha said he had other proposals but had decided immediately that the Chilean club was where he wanted to continue his career.
Cape Verde’s historic tournament
At their first appearance on the World Cup stage, Cape Verde recorded a goalless draw against eventual champions Spain. They also shared the points with two-time winners Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, results that secured second place in Group H.
Vozinha described the World Cup as the greatest experience of his football career, but insisted that his attention has now shifted to his new club. Representing Colo-Colo, a historic institution with an enormous following and tradition, is already the high point of his club career, he said.
