Cabo Verde's Goalkeeper Finally Got To Play In Front Of His Mom At The World Cup
The two shared an emotional moment, where Vozinha walked over to his mom in the crowd and hugged her.
Cabo Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha finally got to play in front of his mother at the World Cup and they shared an emotional moment after the match.
Cabo Verde, also known as Cape Verde, made its first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup, on June 15, facing Spain — one of the top-tier contenders — in its opening group stage match.
Spain went into the match as heavy favorites, with analysts giving them an 87.2% chance of winning, according to Yahoo Sports.
The match, however, ended in a 0-0 draw, after 40-year-old Josimar José Évora Dias, known as Vozinha, managed to block seven shots and was named man of the match.
After the game, Vozinha broke down in tears during a televised interview, saying his mother, Ana Candida Évora, could not be there either, because she could not afford a fee tied to her US visa.
The Trump administration has introduced a refundable bond of up to US$15,000 as a requirement for visa applicants in some countries, including Cabo Verde, in its latest attempt to curb immigration and prevent people from overstaying their visas.
Vozinha's interview was broadcast widely and clips of it spread online, leading fans in Cabo Verde and the US and even politicians to call on the US to waive fees and expedite an emergency visa for Évora.
Following public pressure, Évora’s visa was finally approved, and she arrived in Miami on June 19, two days before Cabo Verde's second match against Uruguay.
At the stadium on Monday, June 22, Évora wore a shirt with her son's name and number and carried a Cabo Verde flag.
A video shared online showed the two shared an emotional moment, where Vozinha walked over to his mom in the crowd and hugged her.
The match ended 2-2, giving World Cup debutant Cabo Verde a second straight draw against a major footballing nation, with Vozinha making key saves to help preserve the point.
"It was so emotional. My heart was in my mouth," Évora told FIFA after the match.
Cabo Verde now has two points after two matches, having drawn with both Spain and Uruguay.
The team plays its final group match against Saudi Arabia on Friday, June 26, in Houston, US.
A win, or a favorable result elsewhere in the group, would send Cabo Verde to the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in its history.
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