Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha became a social media sensation after his extraordinary performance in his country's 0-0 draw with Spain at the FIFA World Cup 2026, attracting over one million Instagram followers in a matter of hours.

The 40-year-old, who plays his club football for Chaves in Portugal's second division, delivered a stunning display on Cape Verde's World Cup debut — earning a WhoScored rating of 8.4 and making seven saves to deny Spain at every turn.

From 50,000 to one million in one night

During half-time, pundits on Brazilian television channel Caze TV were so taken by Vozinha's performance that they called on viewers to help him reach 100,000 Instagram followers. The response was immediate — within barely a minute, his count had shot to 220,000.

By the hour mark his total had climbed to 350,000. At the final whistle it stood at 389,000 — and then, within five minutes, a further 500,000 followers poured in. By the time Vozinha reached the dressing room, he had surpassed one million, up from roughly 50,000 before kick-off.

Speaking to Caze TV after the match, a visibly stunned Vozinha said: