Vozinha Gets Rare Honour As New Species Named After Him Post World Cup Heroics
Entering the tournament as a 40-year-old free agent with just over 50,000 followers on Instagram, Vozinha left the global stage with a cult following of more than 25 million followers.
- Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha gained over 25 million Instagram followers during the 2026 World Cup
- Now, a sea slug species, Aldisa vozinhai, was named after the 40-year-old by biologist Jesus Ortea
- Vozinha made 18 saves, one of the highest for goalkeepers aged 40 or older at a World Cup
Every four years, the FIFA World Cup welcomes a new player into its list of cult heroes. The 2026 edition will surely see Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha join that elite group. Entering the tournament as a 40-year-old free agent with just over 50,000 followers on Instagram, Vozinha left the global stage with a cult following of more than 25 million followers. However, Vozinha has also earned a unique honour: a newly discovered species of sea slug has been named after him. Aldisa vozinhai, a tiny red mollusc, was discovered in the Caribbean by biologist Jesus Ortea, who decided to name it after the 40-year-old goalkeeper.
Vozinha became an overnight sensation after his inspiring performance against Spain as Cabo Verde secured a famous 0-0 draw against the former world champions.
Vozinha's heroics also helped Cabo Verde avoid defeat in regulation time throughout the tournament. Their campaign eventually came to an end after a 3-2 extra-time loss to defending champions Argentina.
In a report outlining his discovery, Ortea said that he wanted to highlight Vozinha's "prominent role" and also pointed out that his best performance came against a team nicknamed La Roja ("The Red Ones").
"The red colour of the dedicated species is a reminder of his feat," his report said.
A new species of mollusc has been named after Vozinha, with scientists wanting to honor his World Cup run.
— Pubity (@pubity) July 11, 2026
This is the Aldisa vozinhai, or "Vozinha's sea slug". pic.twitter.com/QHdteuMZ3M
Vozinha made a total of 18 saves in this tournament; the only goalies aged 40 or older to register more saves at a single WC are Peter Shilton (28 in 1990 for England) and Dino Zoff (27 in 1982 for Italy), as per OptaJoe.
Only Paraguay's Orlando Gill (19), and Curacao's Ely Room (20) made more saves than him during the tournament.
Cabo Verde played out unbeaten against three world champion teams, the 2010 champions and third-ranked Spain, the 19th-ranked two-time champions Uruguay and now the second-placed, defending champions Argentina, showcasing that they do belong to the biggest of the stages.
(With ANI Inputs)
Cape Verde