Vozinha arrives in Chile to sign six-month deal with Colo-Colo
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has arrived in Chile to join Colo-Colo and is due to sign a six-month contract, with the possibility of a one-year extension, on Monday (August 3, 2026).
The 40-year-old became a social media phenomenon following his performances at the World Cup in North America, where his displays helped Cape Verde progress beyond the group stage before a narrow loss to Argentina in the last 32. Cape Verde held eventual winners Spain and twice world champions Uruguay to draws in the group phase, and his showings in the tournament — notably against Spain in the first week in June — drove his Instagram following from around 50,000 to about 17.4 million.
Colo-Colo announced the terms of the move include the six-month contract with a possible one-year extension; he is scheduled to sign after undergoing a medical and to begin training on Tuesday (August 4). Chilean media reported he is likely to make his debut on August 16 against O'Higgins as Colo-Colo aim to maintain their healthy lead at the head of the Chilean Premier Division.
On Friday (July 31), Colo-Colo were granted permission to allow Vozinha to use his footballing nickname on his shirt despite South American regulations prohibiting such names. The club secured agreement from other Chilean teams after the initial possibility that he might be banned from wearing the name proved less contentious than originally thought.
Vozinha’s given name is Josimar Jose Evore Dias; the moniker Vozinha — Portuguese for "little grandmother" — was bestowed by older children when he was a boy who would cry after losing games of street football and run home to the grandparents with whom he lived. The nickname was the one he wore during Cape Verde’s World Cup campaign.
Before this move he was at Portuguese second division side Chaves, and his club career has included spells in Angola, Cyprus, Moldova and Slovakia. The transfer follows the international profile he earned at the World Cup and the subsequent interest documented in Chilean media.
He is due to complete the medical and sign the contract on Monday (August 3, 2026) and then begin training on Tuesday (August 4), with a probable debut on August 16 against O'Higgins as Colo-Colo pursue their current lead in the Chilean Premier Division.
