Three weeks ago, almost nobody outside Cape Verde knew his name. Now Josimar “Vozinha” Évora Dias is being chased by clubs across two continents, has more Instagram followers than Erling Haaland, and might be about to sign for Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. If you’re looking for the wildest transfer story to come out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vozinha to Inter Miami is it.
Who is Vozinha, and why is everyone suddenly talking about him?
Vozinha is Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper, and he became the World Cup’s ultimate underdog hero during the Blue Sharks’ historic tournament debut. He opened the competition by making eight saves to hold Spain — one of the World Cup 2026 favorites — to a stunning 0-0 draw, then added more clean sheets and heroic stops as Cape Verde defied every prediction to reach the knockout rounds.
In the Round of 32 against defending champions Argentina, Vozinha repeatedly denied Lionel Messi, including a spectacular save off a Messi free kick, before Cape Verde finally fell 3-2 in extra time. By the final whistle, he’d racked up 18 saves across four appearances — one of the most saves by any goalkeeper this World Cup, and a number that turned him into a viral sensation overnight.
The numbers behind the hype are genuinely absurd
Here’s the stat that sums up Vozinha’s meteoric rise: his Instagram following exploded from around 50,000 to more than 28 million in three weeks. That’s more followers than NFL legend Tom Brady, NBA star Luka Dončić, and tennis champion Novak Djokovic. Among footballers, Vozinha now has more followers than Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić, and Erling Haaland. For a free agent goalkeeper who was playing second-tier Portuguese football a month ago, that’s an almost unheard-of transformation — and it’s exactly the kind of global marketing value MLS and Inter Miami love.
Why Inter Miami makes sense
Vozinha became a free agent after his contract with Portugal’s G.D. Chaves expired on June 30, meaning any club — including Inter Miami — can sign him without paying a transfer fee. According to Spanish outlet Marca, Inter Miami’s technical staff and co-owner David Beckham have been closely monitoring him, and reports suggest the David Beckham-owned club are viewed as favorites to land his signature.
There’s also a sentimental angle: Vozinha has openly admitted he’s a huge Lionel Messi fan, and playing alongside his idol at club level in MLS would be the storybook ending to his World Cup fairytale.
Inter Miami aren’t the only suitors
The competition is real. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reported that Brazilian Serie B clubs Avaí and Atlético Goianiense have made direct contact with Vozinha’s representatives, while a long list of other Brazilian clubs — including Botafogo-SP, Fortaleza, and Sport Recife — are reportedly monitoring the situation. Portuguese top-flight side Alverca has also been mentioned as a possible destination.
What happens next
Reports suggest Inter Miami are expected to intensify negotiations, if that happens, it will give MLS its most feel-good signing of the year: a 40-year-old World Cup folk hero, reunited with the game’s greatest player, on a free transfer. Watch this space — the Vozinha to Inter Miami transfer saga is only just getting started.
