From 50,000 to 28 million Instagram followers: Cape Verde’s World Cup hero Vozinha suffers from his fame
Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha discusses the overwhelming personal toll of sudden global fame following his performance at the World Cup. He expresses a desire for his former, private life as he struggles with the constant public attention and the impact on his family.
Why it matters
It highlights the psychological and social consequences of rapid, viral fame for athletes in the modern digital era.
"I would choose my old life": sensational fame at the World Cup has become a burden for goalkeeper hero Vozinha World Cup Cabo Verde Vozinha Cape Verde's national goalkeeper Vozinha is visibly suffering from the downside of his worldwide fame after the World Cup, as he told the English newspaper The Observer.
For the 40-year-old goalkeeper, the sudden hype has brought one thing above all: a serious loss of privacy. "If I had the choice between my life today and my earlier life, I would choose my earlier life," Vozinha revealed in an interview with the newspaper.
In August, traditional Chilean club Colo Colo Santiago de Chile welcomed him like a rock star. Since then, the calm and peace he once had have slipped away. For the candidate in the vote for the world's best goalkeeper, that huge fame is becoming more of a burden in public.
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