SOCCER: Vozinha joins Colo-Colo on six-month deal

Cape Verde veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, who became a global social media sensation during the FIFA World Cup, has signed with Chilean club Colo-Colo, the team announced Monday.

Colo-Colo confirmed the signing in a post on X, saying Vozinha had signed his contract and officially joined the club. The 40-year-old goalkeeper agreed to a six-month deal with an option to extend for another year after completing his medical examination earlier in the day.

According to Chilean media reports, Vozinha is expected to make his debut on Aug. 16 against O'Higgins as Colo-Colo aims to strengthen its lead in the Chilean Premier Division.

Vozinha rose to international prominence after his standout performances for Cape Verde during the World Cup in North America. He helped the island nation advance beyond the group stage in its tournament debut before suffering a narrow defeat to Argentina in the Round of 32.

Cape Verde also earned impressive draws against eventual champion Spain and two-time World Cup winner Uruguay during the group stage, with Vozinha playing a key role in the team's historic campaign.

His popularity soared throughout the tournament, with his Instagram following growing from about 50,000 before the competition to approximately 17.4 million after his remarkable display against Spain in June.

Before completing the move, Colo-Colo received approval for the goalkeeper, whose full name is Josimar Jose Evore Dias, to wear his well-known nickname "Vozinha" on his jersey despite Chilean regulations that generally prohibit the use of nicknames. The request was approved after other Chilean clubs supported the exemption.

The nickname, which means "little grandmother" in Portuguese, dates back to his childhood. Older children gave him the name because he would cry after losing neighborhood soccer matches and run home to his grandparents, who raised him.

Vozinha most recently played for Portuguese second-division club Chaves. During his professional career, he has also represented clubs in Angola, Cyprus, Moldova, and Slovakia. -Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; additional reporting by Mohamed Yossry in Cairo, Editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge/Reuters