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Cape Verde hero, Josimar Dias popularly known as Vozinha has said he has lost his peace and privacy following his sensational rise to global fame at the 2026 World Cup.

Vozinha, 40, was unknown outside Portugal’s second division six months ago, where he played for Chaves.

Everything changed at the World Cup. His Player of the Match performance — seven saves to keep a clean sheet in Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw against Spain in their opening game — made him a worldwide star.

Before that game, his Instagram had 56,000 followers. By full-time, it had passed one million after Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV urged viewers to follow him.

By the end of the tournament, where Cape Verde went unbeaten in the group stage and took Lionel Messi’s Argentina to extra-time in a 3-2 defeat, his following surged past 20 million.

Speaking to The Observer in an exclusive interview, Vozinha said fame has become a burden.

“I’ve lost my peace and tranquillity. I no longer have any privacy, or at least much less than I used to. Now I go out, I go to a restaurant, and there’s always someone who wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph. Or, worse, someone is filming me. That’s what has changed most in my life, and I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.”

The goalkeeper added: “To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the one I had before, I’d choose the one I had before.”

He also revealed the fame has affected his family, with fans showing up daily at his mother’s house in Cape Verde asking for photos.

Vozinha, now at Chilean giants Colo-Colo after leaving Chaves as a free agent, said he has rejected many commercial offers and will not work with tobacco, alcohol or sports betting brands.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has officially confirmed that Lionel Messi will pull on the Albiceleste shirt one final time.

Following his international retirement, the legendary captain has been included in the squad for a special home friendly match against Benin on October 6, 2026, at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

AFA President Claudio Tapia announced that Messi accepted the invitation to receive a proper home send-off following his decision to step away from international football.

Tapia said in a video released on Instagram: “To all Argentina fans and Argentinians, I want to tell you that after a chat with the national team head coach, Lionel Scaloni, we have taken the decision to invite the best player in the world, emblem of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so he can have the farewell he truly deserves on October 6, here, in Argentina.”

The AFA has extended an invitation to the entire squad that triumphed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to attend the match alongside their families, promising a festive and emotional tribute for the nation’s greatest-ever player.

The fixture will mark Messi’s 208th appearance for Argentina, adding to his historic record of 125 international goals.

The game against Benin will cap off a three-match home window for Argentina, serving as an unforgettable celebration for fans to honor their iconic captain.