Kolkata : Though he is known to football fans as Vozinha, what few will realise is that Cabo Verde’s heroic goalkeeper was almost named after Jorge Valdano. Born Josimar Dias, the star etched his name into history by frustrating Spain in his country’s FIFA World Cup™ debut on Monday, but less well known is that he was once at the centre of a uniquely Brazilian-Argentine debate over his name. The winner of that Latin American tug-of-war was ultimately decided by a registry official in 1986.
“In the football world, I’m known as Vozinha. But I want to give a shout-out to Jorge Valdano and Josimar, the inspirations behind my name,” the goalkeeper said to FIFA after Cabo Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain.
Playing alongside Diego Maradona in Argentina’s title-winning team that year, Valdano scored four goals at Mexico 1986 and made such an impression on a Cabo Verdean man named Ze Pedro that he tried to register his newborn son with his name.
A few days before Cabo Verde’s World Cup debut, FIFA got in touch with Valdano to tell him the story. Until then, the Argentinian had no idea the story existed, but he was delighted when he heard it: “Forty years after playing at the 1986 World Cup, I’m playing vicariously at World Cup 2026, through Vozinha. It came as a huge surprise to me.
“Initially, I was a bit confused,” added Valdano. “Why did his father think of me? He had Maradona right there! But, still, I couldn’t be more proud. I send my warmest regards to Vozinha, his father, Josimar and everyone involved in this story.”
But where does Josimar fit into all this?
Well, the registrar who handled Vozinha’s father’s application in Cabo Verde rejected the Valdano-inspired choice since foreign names were not permitted. Instead, Ze Pedro’s next choice led him to a Portuguese-speaking player also making headlines at that World Cup. Brazil’s Josimar had lit up the tournament in 1986, with spectacular goals against Northern Ireland and Poland.
“People in Cabo Verde tend to support other Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil and Portugal,” said Vozinha. “My grandfather supported Brazil because he loved football and especially the national teams that had always been among the world’s best. At the end of the day, it was about a love of football.”
A curious footnote to the story is that the goalkeeper’s late grandmother, Maria Senhorinha dos Santos, spent her entire life calling her grandson “Dani” because she struggled to pronounce “Valdano”. But it was Maria who gave him the name he now wears on the back of his shirt.
That nickname dates back to his childhood, when he was raised by his grandparents while his mother was working long hours and his father was completing military service. Playing football in the street with older boys, he took his share of bumps and bruises, but he never liked to lose. As a result, his friends would often tease him about “running to granny” (or vozinha) whenever things got tough.
“I used to take quite a few knocks, and whenever I couldn’t get my own back, I’d go home angry and sulking,” said Vozina in an interview with FIFA in 2024. They would tease me, saying I was going to complain to my grandparents.”
Two years on, following the match against Spain, Vozinha dedicated his side’s historic draw to his grandparents. “I’m so grateful to my parents and grandparents, who are now shining down on me from above,” he said. “I lost my grandmother two years ago, and my grandfather as well. They raised me. If they were still alive today, they would be very proud of their grandson. That’s why it meant so much to me. It’s something Cabo Verdeans have dreamed of their whole lives.”
It appears the Cabo Verde story at this World Cup is winning supporters far beyond their own shores. The worldwide attention has been so great that Vozinha’s follower count soared from 50,000 at the start of the match to millions and growing by day’s end.
“It’s incredible. I never expected this At the end of the day, it’s all for Cabo Verde,” said Vozinha. “It’s all for our people. I’m grateful to all the fans, including those in Brazil, because they have shown tremendous support for both the Cabo Verdean people and the national team. This is all for Cabo Verde.”
