Little voice: meet the grandmother who inspired the nickname of Cape Verde's hero goalkeeper
Josimar José Évora Dias' performance against Spain, in Cape Verde's debut at the World Cup, caught the attention of fans due to the sequence of decisive saves. But it was the story behind the 40-year-old goalkeeper, known as Vozinha, that ended up moving the public after the match.
Far from being a reference to the player's age, the nickname was born from the relationship he built with his grandparents, Maria Senhorinha dos Santos and Manuel da Luz Moraes, responsible for his upbringing since childhood on the island of São Vicente, in Cape Verde.
In an interview with the FIFA website, the goalkeeper explained that he practically did not live with his parents in the first years of his life. His father was serving in the military, while his mother worked to support the family. For this reason, he grew up under the care of his grandparents, a central figure in his personal and sporting trajectory.
"The nickname is because of my grandparents. I never lived with my parents. When I was born, my father was in the military. And my mother always had to work for something. So I always grew up with my grandparents. In my area the boys were much older and I always played in the street, getting hit a lot", he said.
After the historic draw against the Spanish, Vozinha couldn't contain her emotion when remembering her grandmother Maria Senhorinha and grandfather Manuel, who died around two years ago and were unable to watch her grandson fulfill his dream of playing in a World Cup.
"I would like to thank my parents and my grandparents, who today are little stars in the sky. My grandmother passed away two years ago, my grandfather too, and I grew up with them. Today, if they were alive, they would be very proud of their grandson. My emotion was because of that. It's something that Cape Verde dreamed of my whole life."
The affection for his grandmother was also recorded on social media. In 2017, when Maria Senhorinha turned 80, the goalkeeper published a tribute wishing the matriarch many years of life.
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Goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde, in action against Spain in the World Cup - FIFA via Getty Images
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Goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde, in action against Spain in the World Cup - FIFA via Getty Images
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Goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde, in action against Spain in the World Cup - Anadolu via Getty Images
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Goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde, in action against Spain in the World Cup - FIFA via Getty Images
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Goalkeeper Vozinha, from Cape Verde, in action against Spain in the World Cup - FIFA via Getty Images
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In addition to the story of overcoming, Vozinha is one of the most important names in the Cape Verdean national team. The duel against Spain marked his 90th appearance for the country, a mark that places him as the second player with the most appearances for the national team, behind only Ryan Mendes, who has played 96 games.
Interestingly, the name Josimar also carries a tribute. He was named in reference to Josimar Higino Pereira, a former right-back revealed by Botafogo and member of the Brazilian team at the 1986 World Cup.
Without a club since the end of his contract with Chaves, from Portugal, shortly before the start of the World Cup, Vozinha showed that experience continues to be an advantage. And, on the most important night of his career, he transformed a family memory into one of the most moving stories of this World Cup.
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Source: CNN