by Sportswriters Cao Jianjie and Zhang Wuyue
MIAMI, United States, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha stood in front of reporters after his country's historic draw with Spain and struggled to contain his emotions.
The 40-year-old had just produced one of the finest performances of his career, helping the African island nation secure a 0-0 result in its first appearance at a FIFA World Cup. Yet his thoughts quickly turned to family.
As teammates celebrated a landmark achievement, Vozinha explained why tears had filled his eyes after the final whistle.
"I cried because I grew up with my grandparents, and unfortunately, they were not here; they died a few years ago," he said. "They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn't manage to be here because of the visa."
The moment capped a journey that has made Vozinha one of the defining figures in Cabo Verdean football.
Known off the field as Josimar Jose Evora Dias, Vozinha has spent more than a decade guarding the national team's goal. He was already an established international when many of his teammates were beginning their careers, becoming a symbol of continuity as Cabo Verde gradually strengthened its place in African football.
His route to the World Cup was far from conventional.
Unlike many elite players, Vozinha did not begin his professional career as a teenager. He has spoken about starting professionally at 25 and admitted there were moments when he considered walking away from the game.
Instead, he continued pursuing a dream that finally became reality when Cabo Verde qualified for its first World Cup.
That perseverance was on display against Spain. Facing one of the tournament favorites, Vozinha produced a series of saves that frustrated the reigning European champion and secured the first World Cup point in Cabo Verde's history. The result was celebrated across the Atlantic archipelago and among Cabo Verdean communities abroad.
For a country with a population of little more than half a million people, simply reaching the tournament represented a major achievement. Holding Spain to a draw gave supporters a result that will occupy a special place in the nation's sporting history.
While Vozinha earned international recognition for his display, another story unfolding away from the stadium touched many supporters.
His mother, Ana Candida Evora, watched the match from the island of Sao Vicente after being unable to travel to the United States in time for the game because of visa-related difficulties and costs.
A house cleaner by profession, she followed her son's biggest match from home and celebrated his performance afterward.
"I said that no ball would enter his goal, and that is exactly what happened," she said. "He is a great goalkeeper. I am very proud to be Vozinha's mother, and I hope he continues to save every ball that comes his way."
The story later received a happier ending when she obtained a visa and traveled to the United States to support her son in person, with the help of Chinese businessman Lin Jie, who moved to Cabo Verde 23 years ago from the southeastern Chinese city of Wenzhou.
"Vozinha's cousin happened to work in my wife's clothes shop," said Lin. "I offered to help."
For Vozinha, the World Cup has brought acclaim that few would have predicted earlier in his career.
Yet the goalkeeper's story extends beyond football. It is also about persistence, family and a player who refused to abandon a lifelong ambition. Against Spain, he earned global attention. In the days that followed, he became something more enduring for Cabo Verde: a reminder of what patience and determination can achieve. ■
