Vozinha’s remarkable World Cup story is set to continue in South America.
The veteran Cape Verde goalkeeper has signed an agreement to join Colo-Colo after his performances in North America turned him from a free agent into one of the tournament’s most recognisable figures.
The transfer was initially presented as a verbal agreement, with formal documents and medical examinations still outstanding. However, Fabrizio Romano subsequently reported that Vozinha had completed the paperwork on Saturday night.
According to Romano’s updated report on the completed agreement, the goalkeeper signed his official Colo-Colo contract after the parties reached a verbal understanding on Friday.
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The move remains subject to the final practical stages surrounding his arrival in Chile, but Colo-Colo president Aníbal Mosa has publicly confirmed that Vozinha will become part of the squad.
From free agent to World Cup phenomenon
Vozinha, whose full name is Josimar José Évora Dias, entered the World Cup without a club after leaving Portuguese second-tier side Chaves.
At 40, he appeared to be approaching the final stage of a career spent largely outside Europe’s leading leagues. That changed during Cape Verde’s first appearance at the World Cup.
The goalkeeper made seven saves as Cape Verde held eventual champions Spain to a goalless draw in their opening match. He then helped the tournament debutants progress from the group stage without losing.
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Vozinha produced another outstanding performance against Argentina in the round of 32, making eight saves as Cape Verde pushed Lionel Messi’s side into extra time before losing 3-2.
As described by beIN Sports in its account of his World Cup campaign, Vozinha finished the competition with 18 saves and two clean sheets across four appearances.
Only Peter Shilton and Dino Zoff have recorded more saves at a single World Cup after turning 40.
Colo-Colo president confirms the deal
The first direct confirmation came from Mosa, the president of Blanco y Negro, the company that operates Colo-Colo.
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“Vozinha will be a Colo-Colo player,” Mosa said.
“In the coming days, he will travel to Chile, undergo the customary medical examinations and then be presented here at the Estadio Monumental.”
Mosa said the club had reached an agreement with the goalkeeper’s representatives and was completing the final details surrounding the transfer.
Quoted by Chilean broadcaster T13 in its report on the negotiations, the club president added: “It is a name that was agreed upon at every level of Colo-Colo. It is a name that comes to contribute to the club.”
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The reported deal is a free transfer, meaning Colo-Colo will not have to pay Chaves or another club a transfer fee.
Local reports suggest the initial contract will run until the end of 2026 and include an option extending it through 2027. Those terms have not yet been detailed publicly by Colo-Colo.
Vozinha wanted football, not a marketing role
Vozinha’s explosive rise in popularity also made him commercially attractive.
His social media following increased dramatically during the World Cup, while images of his saves and emotional celebrations spread well beyond Cape Verde.
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Mosa acknowledged that the goalkeeper’s profile would carry marketing value for Colo-Colo. However, Vozinha had previously stressed that he wanted his next club to sign him for sporting reasons.
“I want to play for at least one or two more years,” he said.
“Everything will depend on how my body responds because you never know what will happen tomorrow, but I want to play. I hope to find a team that truly wants me for what I can contribute as a footballer, not as a marketing figure.”
The move to Colo-Colo will give him an opportunity to prove that his performances against Spain and Argentina were more than a brief World Cup fairytale.
No guaranteed starting place
Despite his international reputation, Vozinha is not expected to walk directly into the starting line-up without competition.
Colo-Colo coach Fernando Ortiz has warned that the Cape Verde international will have to earn his position like every other member of the squad.
Ortiz was not directly involved in the transfer negotiations and has said that no player will receive special treatment because of his reputation or World Cup performances.
According to AS’s report on the coach’s response to the signing, Ortiz said: “Vozinha will have to fight for the position.”
The experienced goalkeeper is being added following an injury to Fernando De Paul, while young deputy Gabriel Maureira is expected to have international commitments with Chile’s under-23 side.
A historic new challenge
Colo-Colo are Chile’s most successful club, having won a record 34 domestic league championships.
They also remain the only Chilean side to have won the Copa Libertadores, lifting South America’s leading club trophy in 1991.
Vozinha will now move from Portugal’s second division to one of the continent’s most heavily supported clubs, where expectations will be considerably higher than at any previous point in his career.
According to Reuters’ report on the agreement, Mosa said Vozinha’s World Cup performances demonstrated that he had earned the opportunity, while also recognising the attention his arrival would generate away from the pitch.
A few weeks ago, Vozinha was an unattached 40-year-old goalkeeper preparing for Cape Verde’s first World Cup.
He leaves the tournament as a national hero, a global cult figure and the newest signing of one of South America’s biggest clubs.
