Cape Verde’s Vozinha gains over 18m Instagram followers after World Cup heroics

Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as a breakout star of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, experiencing a dramatic surge in his social media following. Before the tournament began, Vozinha's Instagram account had just over 46,000 followers. By the end of Cape Verde's campaign, his follower count had exploded to 19.1 million.

This remarkable growth represents an increase of more than 18 million followers during the World Cup. The goalkeeper's Instagram account saw its numbers jump from approximately 1.5 million followers in June to 19.1 million in July. This phenomenon is directly linked to the global attention garnered by Cape Verde's surprising and captivating run in the tournament.

As one of the tournament's most compelling stories, the island nation, with a population of about 530,000, captured the imagination of football fans worldwide. Vozinha's commanding performances between the posts were widely recognized as a key factor in Cape Verde exceeding expectations and establishing him as one of the competition's standout performers. His newfound global fame underscores the widespread appeal of the team's underdog journey.