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It turns out Vozinha's remarkable composure doesn't just make him an unbeatable goalkeeper, but also an elusive figure to pin down in the transfer market.
The 40-year-old free agent shot to global fame virtually overnight after guiding World Cup first-timers Cabo Verde—a small African island nation of only 500,000 inhabitants—to a goalless draw against continental powerhouse and eventual tournament champion Spain. Vozinha, who now boasts nearly 30 million Instagram followers, produced seven stunning saves to frustrate the Spaniards, before pulling off the seemingly impossible once more, making eight saves to push Lionel Messi's Argentina into extra time in the round of 32 and nearly eliminating the eventual tournament runners-up.
Not only did Vozinha redefine what it means to be in the twilight of one's career and when a breakthrough moment can arrive, but he also attracted the interest of several top clubs, prompting a significant step up from his previous side, G.D. Chaves, of the Portuguese second division.
Vozinha was initially linked with a move to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, which would have reunited him with Messi, the legendary footballer who struggled greatly to get past him that summer; however, Chilean club Colo-Colo subsequently confirmed that Vozinha would be heading to South America.
"We can confirm Vozinha will be a Colo-Colo player," club president Anibal Mosa announced last week. "We have an agreement; the final details are being worked out, but we already have confirmation from his camp and his representative. We reached an agreement based on a proposal that we put forward."
Despite Mosa's announcement, however, Vozinha has since sparked an unforeseen transfer saga.
Vozinha's Summer Transfer Saga
Vozinha delayed his arrival in Chile on three separate occasions, according to Brazil's ge globo. He was originally scheduled to join up with Colo-Colo on Tuesday, before shifting his plans to Wednesday. That day came and went, and he still had not traveled to South America, pushing the date back to Thursday. Thursday passed as well, and Vozinha had still not arrived in Santiago.
Colo-Colo CEO Jamie Pizarro stated that Vozinha's prolonged absence was due to "personal reasons" and the need to "finalize additional required documents;" however, reports emerged on Friday suggesting that Vozinha had actually done a complete U-turn, instead negotiating a separate agreement to join RS Berkane of Morocco. The hijacked transfer seemed plausible, given that Cabo Verde head coach Bubista is reportedly close to accepting the managerial role at Berkane.
The suspected change of heart was further fueled by the fact that Vozinha had not acknowledged his Colo-Colo signing on social media, and that the Chilean club had initially informed him that he would not be permitted to wear "Vozinha" on the back of his shirt due to a Chilean regulation, as it is technically considered a nickname. His full name is Josimar José Évora Dias.
The situation appears to have resolved itself, however, as Vozinha was not only granted a special exemption to the Chilean jersey regulation, but was also spotted traveling to Santiago on Sunday. The agreement with Colo-Colo now appears to be back on track.