Shining at the World Cup, former Benfica legend recalls: "I immediately approved the signing"

Vozinha has emerged as one of the standout figures in the early days of the World Cup. The goalkeeper was a cornerstone of Cape Verde's historic 0-0 draw against Spain yesterday in their opening Group H match, and stories about the Blue Sharks' shot-stopper are multiplying.

At 40 years old, Vozinha delivered an absolutely sensational performance against the reigning European champions, as Cape Verde stunned the world by holding one of the tournament favorites to a draw.

The goalkeeper currently plays for Chaves, a club he has represented for two seasons, but before that, he wore the jerseys of Trencin (Slovakia) and AEL Limassol (Cyprus). Let's rewind further to the 2016/2017 season. The reason? That was Vozinha's debut in Portuguese football, playing for Gil Vicente.

The "Roosters" were managed by the legendary Álvaro Magalhães, and A BOLA spoke with the former Benfica and National Team star for an in-depth analysis of the player and the man. Indeed, Álvaro Magalhães is full of praise for Vozinha and recalls how the goalkeeper arrived in Minho.

"I was already familiar with Cape Verdean football because I had been there for friendly matches. I always followed the African market closely. At Gil Vicente, we needed to sign an experienced goalkeeper, preferably. When Vozinha was suggested to me, I immediately gave my approval. There was some skepticism from a few people due to Vozinha's age, but the truth is I needed that experience in goal because we had a very young team. I knew him well and had no doubts about signing him. The truth is, Vozinha adapted perfectly. When he arrived, the season had already started, but I had a private conversation with him and prepared him to be a starter. Then, when he came into the team, in a game against Académica, it was a surprise to many, but I knew exactly what I was doing. Vozinha worked very hard, like almost all African players, for that matter. He ended up helping us have a calm season," he recalls, during a campaign where Gil Vicente competed in Liga 2.

The former left-back, who made history in Portuguese football, didn't stop there with his words of appreciation. Álvaro Magalhães opens up about how he introduced Vozinha to the Gil Vicente team and confesses that he spoke with the goalkeeper yesterday, congratulating him on his magnificent performance in Cape Verde's absolute debut in a World Cup final phase. He even left him with a request: "I hope you don't think about quitting football anytime soon."

"Yesterday, before the game, I sent him a good luck message for the World Cup, and after the game, I also congratulated him on his excellent performance. I hope Cape Verde can go as far as possible. It was a source of pride for me to watch Cape Verde's game against Spain. This season, when Vozinha was playing for Chaves, he called me to vent a bit. He had returned from the national team, was Chaves' starting goalkeeper, and suddenly found himself on the bench. In that conversation, I told him he was a great goalkeeper and that he just needed to stay calm because he would regain his spot at Chaves and go to the World Cup with Cape Verde. Exactly that happened, and he showed that age doesn't matter. What matters is professionalism, and he is an outstanding professional. At the end of every training session, he would ask for extra specific work. I hope he doesn't think about quitting football anytime soon. Especially a goalkeeper can prolong their career," he concluded.

Pedro Russiano also coincided with Vozinha during that season at Gil Vicente, then as Álvaro Magalhães' assistant. The current coach of Lusitano de Évora also spoke to A BOLA and discussed Vozinha's curious move to Portuguese football.

"The agent was in Cape Verde trying to bring Papelelé to Portugal. Meanwhile, Vozinha, through Calú, a player who also ended up coming to Gil Vicente, had the opportunity to meet Pedro, and the possibility of him also coming to Portugal opened up. He had only played in less competitive contexts, and already at 29, such as Zimbru in Moldova. Pedro, the agent, contacted mister Álvaro Magalhães, and I, along with Tó Ferreira, who was the goalkeeping coach, analyzed the situation and approved the signing, which the club eventually completed," recalls Pedro Russiano.

In Barcelos, during the 2016/2017 season, there was a clear investment in Júlio Neiva, a young goalkeeper from Gil Vicente's academy, but the truth is that Vozinha... left no room for doubt: "He arrived in Barcelos in the 2016/2017 season, and at the time, we had a big investment from Gil Vicente's academy, which was Júlio Neiva. However, mister Álvaro placed his trust in Vozinha, and he ended up being undisputed throughout the entire season, delivering great performances. It was, it should be noted, a season when Gil Vicente was in Liga 2, following the Mateus case."

Finally, Pedro Russiano states he is not at all surprised by Vozinha's performance level, both in recent seasons and now, in the midst of the World Cup. "Reaching a World Cup at 40? Of course, it's not normal, but the truth is it doesn't surprise me due to Vozinha's daily humility, resilience, and work ethic," concluded the 41-year-old coach, who will remain at the helm of Lusitano de Évora in 2026/2027, a club that will once again compete in Liga 3.

It's safe to say there are stories, and then there are stories. Vozinha's seems to have come straight out of a fairytale. Because it's never too late to achieve goals. Dreams are just around the corner. And anyone who says that at 40 you can no longer play football should look (also) at Vozinha. An example of persistence and overcoming. A true hero for the Cape Verdean people, whose pride knows no bounds.