Vozinha overtakes Tim Payne as social media's new World Cup darling

The World Cup is not only unfolding on the field but also dominating digital platforms, where two previously lesser-known footballers have emerged as the tournament's biggest social media stars: Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha and New Zealand defender Tim Payne.

Payne initially saw an unprecedented surge in his Instagram followers, reaching 5.8 million after going viral as the "most unknown player" among the tournament's participants. However, his reign as the top social media phenomenon was short-lived.

In recent days, Vozinha has eclipsed Payne. Following his standout performance in Cape Verde's goalless draw against Spain, the goalkeeper's Instagram account exploded, attracting millions of new followers. Before the tournament, Vozinha had around 50,000 followers; this number has since skyrocketed to over 7.2 million.

The scale of Vozinha's growth is particularly remarkable considering Cape Verde's total population is estimated at only 500,000 inhabitants. His current follower count is more than eleven times the population of his home country, making his social media ascent the most proportionally significant phenomenon of the tournament.