Vozinha: "I have surpassed my wildest dreams"

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has shared an honest look at his career journey. Now 40, the veteran keeper admits that his recent rise to prominence and the sudden influx of attention have far exceeded his childhood dreams.

Recalling his youth on the island of Sao Vicente, he notes: "What is the probability of becoming a professional footballer when you grow up in Mindelo? Close to zero. It is an impossible dream, or an extremely distant one. I spent my days in the street, playing on a field near my house with the older guys in the neighborhood."

Vozinha explains that, for a long time, there were no youth academies in Cape Verde. "We played with passion, sometimes without shoes, wherever it was possible. Everything remained very amateur. But Mindelo represents everything to me. It is a safe, quiet city where people look out for each other. It is the only place I want to go on vacation," he adds.