World Cup cult hero Vozinha, 40, is reportedly set to join Chilean club Colo Colo, dismissing speculation linking him with David Beckham's Inter Miami. Vozinha was a key figure in Cape Verde's surprising journey to the last-32 stage of the tournament, where they were ultimately defeated 3-2 by Argentina in extra time.
During the World Cup, Vozinha recorded 18 saves and outperformed his expected goals against metric by 0.9, including a notable clean sheet against Spain. His performances were a highlight of Cape Verde's debut World Cup appearance. At the beginning of the tournament, he had only 50,000 Instagram followers, but after making seven saves against Spain, his following surged to over 28.6 million.
FIFA recently recognized Vozinha's efforts by including him in the World Cup's team of the tournament. He had been without a club since leaving Portuguese second division side Chaves at the end of the previous season, which fueled rumors of a potential move to Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi plays.
In a television appearance after the tournament, Vozinha expressed his desire to continue playing for one or two more years, emphasizing his passion for the sport. "I just hope I can find a club that truly wants me as a footballer, not for marketing purposes," he stated.
Colo Colo, the most successful club in Chile with a record 34 league titles, is now expected to be Vozinha's next destination. Anibal Mosa, president of Blanco y Negro, the company managing Colo Colo, confirmed that Vozinha is scheduled to travel to Santiago in the coming days to finalize the transfer. "Vozinha is going to be a Colo Colo player," Mosa said. "In the next few days, he will travel to Chile, undergo the necessary medical examinations, and then be presented here at the Estadio Monumental."
Colo Colo is currently leading Chile's Liga de Primera by 12 points. Vozinha has had a varied career, playing in his home country, Moldova, Slovakia, Cyprus, and Portugal's second tier, and has earned 94 caps for Cape Verde.