Josimar José Evora Dias, known as Vozinha, a goalkeeper for Cape Verde and World Cup hero, is unable to debut for his new team Colo Colo due to unusual administrative challenges.
The Chilean Football Federation prohibits the printing of nicknames on jerseys, compelling the local club to initiate a formal process to allow its new star to wear a name that holds personal significance.
The term “Vozinha” translates to “grandmother” in Portuguese, honoring the woman who raised him. However, the official regulations of the Chilean Professional Football Association stipulate that players in the domestic league must wear their last names exclusively. Violations of this rule can lead to administrative yellow cards for players, while clubs face fines of up to $875, as reported by sportal.blic.rs.
“Vozinha” means “grandmother” in Portuguese. But he can’t debut with that name!
Consequently, Colo Colo has submitted an official request to the Council of Chilean Club Presidents for a special exemption. This decision requires unanimous approval from the board, with the vote scheduled for the end of this week.
To complicate matters further, Vozinha occupies the number 1 jersey, already claimed by Argentine goalkeeper Fernando de Paul at Colo Colo.
During the summer transfer window after the World Cup, he was sought after by several clubs, including Inter Miami, where World Cup runner-up Lionel Messi plays, though the transfer did not materialize.
Vozinha made headlines by keeping a clean sheet against Spain (0-0), making him the oldest goalkeeper to record a scoreless debut in World Cup history.
The arrival of the 40-year-old goalkeeper has ignited a frenzy in Chile, with Colo Colo gaining over 70,000 new followers on social media following the announcement of his transfer.
