By Adegboyega Adeleye
Cape Verde World Cup hero Vozinha has revealed that he would choose his life before fame, saying his sudden rise to global prominence has cost him his peace and privacy.
The 40-year-old goalkeeper told The Observer, as reported by Reuters, that the attention he has received since his country’s historic World Cup campaign has dramatically changed his everyday life.
“I’ve lost my peace and tranquillity. I no longer have any privacy,” Vozinha said.
“I go to a restaurant, and there’s always someone who wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph. Or worse, someone’s filming me… I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.”
Vozinha became a global name during Cape Verde’s first appearance at the World Cup after helping the African side keep clean sheets against eventual champions Spain and Saudi Arabia.
His performances helped Cape Verde reach the knockout stage before Argentina eventually defeated them 3-2.
The goalkeeper’s fame grew rapidly after his standout performances, with his Instagram following reportedly rising from about 56,000 to more than 28 million.
His World Cup displays also earned him a nomination for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the year’s best goalkeeper.
But while the new attention has brought global recognition, Vozinha said he has struggled with the loss of privacy, with the impact also extending to his family.
Fans now reportedly visit his mother’s home in Cape Verde daily seeking photographs and conversations with the family.
“I’m not there so I can’t help them [his parents]. They have to learn with the situation and set boundaries,” Vozinha said.
He also warned that fame is often viewed only from its positive side.
“A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality,” he added.
“To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the life I had before, I’d choose the one I had before.”
The goalkeeper also revealed his shock at finding out his new Instagram fame in the minutes after the match, when his follower count had already risen to over one million.
“A member of the team’s catering staff came up to me and told me I had a billion followers,” he said.
“I had no idea what he was talking about; I thought he was joking, but he insisted. “Later, I went to do some interviews in the mixed zone, and a CazéTV [a Brazilian broadcaster] journalist asked me if I knew what was happening. She showed me her phone and that was when I saw that I had more than a million followers.”
Vozinha left Portuguese second-tier club Chaves in July to join Chilean side Colo-Colo, as his profile continued to rise following Cape Verde’s historic World Cup campaign.
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