Cape Verde’s Vozinha gains over 18m Instagram followers after World Cup heroics

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has emerged as one of the breakout stars of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with his performances driving a massive surge in his social media following.

Before Cape Verde played their first World Cup match, Vozinha’s account had 437 posts, over 46,000 followers, and was following 2,170 accounts.

By the end of the country’s World Cup campaign, the account had 448 posts, 19.1 million followers, and was following 2,160 accounts.

PUNCH Online reports that the goalkeeper’s Instagram account grew from about 1.5 million followers in June to 19.1 million in July, representing an increase of more than 18 million followers during the tournament.

The remarkable growth reflects the global attention attracted by Cape Verde’s fairytale run at the tournament, where the island nation captured the imagination of football fans worldwide.

With a population of about 530,000, Cape Verde became one of the surprise stories of the World Cup, earning widespread support from millions of neutrals who rallied behind the tournament debutants.

Vozinha’s commanding displays between the posts were widely credited with helping Cape Verde exceed expectations and establishing the veteran goalkeeper as one of the standout performers of the competition.

Olugbenga Ige is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over nine years of professional reporting experience. He is known for his sharp eye for compelling stories and a strong instinct for identifying newsworthy developments. Over the years, Olugbenga has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.

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