Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has been granted special permission to use his famous moniker at Chilean giants Colo Colo, despite league rules that would ordinarily prevent it. ANFP regulations state that “nicknames, appellations or sobriquets will not be permitted” on playing shirts, meaning the goalkeeper would be required to use his legal name, Josimar Jose Evora Dias. However, Colo Colo successfully secured an exemption on his behalf.
The nickname, which means “granny” in Portuguese, carries deep personal and cultural meaning for the goalkeeper. “It is the name I have used my entire life,” Vozinha said at a news conference. “In Cape Verde, it holds great significance and a rich history, and now it does globally as well. If my grandmother were alive today, I think she would be proud. I hope to keep using it for the rest of my career as a tribute.”
Vozinha arrived in Santiago on Sunday to a lively reception from Colo Colo’s supporters and joined his new team-mates in training two days later. His career has taken him across several countries, including Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and, most recently, Portuguese second division side Chaves — but he has always seen himself as a “big club” player.
Colo Colo are the most successful club in the Primera Division with 34 titles and have also won the Copa Chile 14 times. For Vozinha, signing with such an institution represents the pinnacle of his club career. “Despite playing in smaller leagues for clubs that weren’t exactly giants, deep down I always told myself I was a ‘big club’ player,” he said. “So when Colo Colo came calling, there was no doubt.”
The goalkeeper also reflected on his World Cup experience — in which he kept a clean sheet on debut against eventual champions Spain — while making clear his focus is firmly on what lies ahead. “The World Cup was the best thing that ever happened to me in football, but that is in the past now,” he said. “Being here representing Colo Colo — a massive club with a rich history — is the highlight of my club career.”
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
