CORNERFLICK
Cape Verde goalkeeper Woziniah says his sudden fame has left him without privacy and wishing life could return to how it was before the World Cup.
World Cup breakout turned him into a star
The 40-year-old made his name in Cape Verde’s first World Cup appearance in June, producing seven saves and keeping a clean sheet against eventual champions Spain.
His Instagram following then surged from 56,000 to 14 million in the days after the match, and he now has more than 28 million followers. He has also been named among the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or men’s goalkeeper award.
'I have lost my peace and quiet'
In comments to the Observer, Woziniah said: “I have lost my peace and quiet. I no longer have privacy, or at least far less than before.” He said people now ask for photos whenever he goes out, and sometimes film him instead.
He added that fans now turn up every day at his mother’s house in Cape Verde. He said he cannot help them and that they need to set their own limits.
Woziniah also said he was shocked when a member of team support staff told him he had one million followers minutes after the match, before a Brazilian journalist later showed him the scale of the rise.