Vozinha, World Cup Hero, Shines on Colo-Colo Debut
The veteran Cape Verde goalkeeper enjoyed a memorable first appearance for Colo-Colo, delivering another strong performance after his World Cup heroics.
Just weeks after emerging as one of Cape Verde’s standout performers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Josimar José Évora Dias 'Vozinha' was back in the spotlight. The 40-year-old goalkeeper made his Colo-Colo debut in a 3-0 victory over Unión Española in the Copa Chile, marking the occasion with a clean sheet.
Vozinha had waited 24 days since arriving in Chile for his opportunity. He was already part of the squad for last weekend's Superclásico against Universidad de Chile, but remained on the bench as Colo-Colo secured a 2-1 victory.
His first appearance finally came at the Estadio Nacional, in front of around 20,000 supporters and with Chilean legend and former Real Madrid striker Iván Zamorano watching from the stands.
It didn't take long to win over the crowd
Wearing all black rather than the yellow kit that became familiar during the World Cup, Vozinha quickly began to make an impression on the Colo-Colo supporters.
One of his first ovations came after racing out of his penalty area to clear the ball near the touchline. His first save followed shortly afterwards, comfortably dealing with an effort from Franco Ratotti.
Colo-Colo went into halftime with a 2-0 lead and Vozinha largely untroubled. His only nervous moment came when he spilled the ball after going to ground inside his area, but the mistake went unpunished.
When the pressure came, Vozinha answered
Unión Española offered more of a threat after the break, finally giving Vozinha the chance to show some of the qualities that made him such a popular figure with Cape Verde during the World Cup.
The veteran made four saves in the second half, while also showing his personality after a moment of confusion with defender Iván Román. There was one final scare when an opponent beat him to the ball with the goal temporarily exposed, but again Colo-Colo escaped without conceding.
The final whistle confirmed a 3-0 victory and a clean sheet in Vozinha's first 90 minutes for his new club.
One performance, one big question
Gabriel Maureira has been Colo-Colo's first choice in goal, but Vozinha's debut has given supporters another option to consider as the season enters an important stretch.
Colo-Colo had already secured their place in the Copa Chile Round of 16 and finished top of Group C with the victory. Audax Italiano will be their next opponent.
Things are looking just as promising in the league, where Colo-Colo sit top with 49 points, 13 clear of Universidad de Chile with 10 games remaining. After making his name on the biggest stage with Cape Verde, Vozinha has now given Colo-Colo fans their first glimpse of what he can offer.
