Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has opened up about the downside of his newfound fame, admitting that he misses the privacy and “peace and tranquillity” of the life he had before the 2026 World Cup.

Vozinha became one of the breakout stars of Cabo Verde’s historic World Cup campaign, helping the island nation reach the knockout stages in its first-ever appearance at the tournament. His standout performance came in a 0-0 draw with eventual champions Spain, when he made seven saves to keep his side level.

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His performances also turned him into an overnight social media sensation. Vozinha’s Instagram following reportedly grew from around 56,000 before the tournament to more than 28 million by its conclusion. But the attention has come at a cost.

“I’ve lost my peace and tranquillity,” Vozinha told The Observer. “I no longer have any privacy, or at least much less than I used to.”

“Now I go out, I go to a restaurant, and there’s always someone who wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph. Or, worse, someone is filming me.

“That’s what has changed most in my life, and I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.”

The 40-year-old goalkeeper said the sudden attention has been difficult to adjust to, particularly as his life before the tournament was relatively quiet. He had been playing for Portuguese second-tier side Chaves before joining Chilean club Colo-Colo after the World Cup.

Despite becoming one of the faces of Cabo Verde’s historic run, Vozinha is clear that he sees the achievement as a collective effort. “It’s nice to feel like a kind of ambassador, but I want to make it clear that what we achieved was a collective effort,” he said. And when asked whether he would choose his current life or the one he had before his World Cup breakthrough, Vozinha did not hesitate.

“To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the life I had before, I’d choose the one I had before.”

His performances in the tournament nevertheless earned him one of the biggest individual recognitions in football. Vozinha was nominated for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper at the Ballon d’Or, alongside nine other goalkeepers.