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Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha overtakes Tom Brady on social media, after surpassing Manuel Neuer, as followers surge
Vozinha starred vs Spain with seven key saves, earning Man of the Match after a standout performance that kept Cape Verde in the game.
While many had different teams pegged as potential dark horses ahead of the FIFA World Cup, the spotlight has increasingly shifted to one surprise package: the African nation of Cape Verde.
Their impressive run has captured widespread attention and excitement, with much of the credit going to goalkeeper Vozinha, whose heroic and commanding performances have played a key role in their rise.
Vozinha overtakes NFL legend Tom Brady
Off the field, another major highlight came from Vozinha, who entered the tournament with fewer than 100,000 Instagram followers but saw his popularity skyrocket during the Spain vs Cape Verde clash, crossing the one-million mark within hours.
Remarkably, his rapid rise did not stop there. Within a short span, he reportedly surpassed Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in Instagram followers, who had previously been the most followed goalkeeper on the platform with around 14.8 million followers.
However, he has now taken things a step further, capturing attention far beyond football circles and even overtaking a globally recognized name in US sports and the NFL in popularity and social media impact.
Tom Brady, the retired NFL legend, currently has around 15.4 million followers on Instagram. However, the Cape Verdean goalkeeper has now surged ahead with approximately 15.6 million followers at the time of writing, meaning he has already overtaken the former NFL star in social media popularity.
This is certainly a remarkable achievement for the 40-year-old goalkeeper. While it may not be directly related to on-field success, it underlines the massive attention he has attracted — largely driven by his standout performances.
Vozinha’s heroics vs Spain
When Cape Verde began their FIFA World Cup campaign against reigning Euro 2024 champions Spain, few would have imagined them coming away with even a single point, which could have marked a historic first in their footballing journey.
They managed to hold Luis de la Fuente’s side to a goalless draw over the full 90 minutes, with neither team able to break the deadlock despite sustained pressure from the Spanish attack.
The 41-year-old Josimar Dias, also known as Vozinha, was named Man of the Match after a standout performance in which he made seven crucial saves to deny the opposition and keep his side in the game.
Cape Verde’s knockout stage chances
In their second game, Cape Verde earned a 2–2 draw against Uruguay. Though goalkeeper Vozinha was unable to secure a clean sheet, the team’s attack stepped up to rescue a valuable point.
A win against Saudi Arabia would guarantee the African side a place in the knockout stage, a historic milestone for a nation that began the tournament ranked 67th in the FIFA rankings.
Since then, they have already climbed four places after their first two matches.
