Cape Verde’s fairytale World Cup ended in the most heartbreaking fashion: a 111th-minute own goal that handed Argentina a 3-2 victory in the Round of 32. The Blue Sharks had twice fought back to level the match, and for long periods their veteran goalkeeper, Josimar Dias — universally known as Vozinha — repelled one of the tournament’s most feared attacks. It was a cruel exit, but it could not overshadow what the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup knockout stage had achieved.

That achievement was built on defensive resilience and Vozinha’s reflexes. Cape Verde arrived as complete outsiders and left unbeaten in Group H, holding European champions Spain to a goalless draw in which the 40-year-old made seven spectacular saves. Further draws against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia secured a historic place in the last 32. By the time they faced Argentina, Vozinha had already become a cult figure, his every stop celebrated by a global audience discovering a player who had entered the tournament without a club after his contract with Portuguese second-division side Chaves expired.

The exposure was staggering. Vozinha’s Instagram following rocketed from fewer than 50,000 to more than 29 million, making him the most-followed goalkeeper on the platform, ahead of Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer and Emiliano Martínez. Speaking to CBS, he described the transformation as “crazy, insane” and admitted that the loss of anonymity stung: “In Cape Verde, we love welcoming people… Now I can’t always do that anymore.” Yet he was adamant that his next move must be driven by football, not fame. “I hope I can find a club that wants me because I’m a football player, not because I’m a marketing person.”

South American outlets report that Chilean powerhouse Colo Colo have already submitted a formal offer, while speculation in North America links him to Inter Miami, though no formal negotiation has taken place. Vozinha, who recalled the visa battles and scarce opportunities that confront Cape Verdean talent, sees his own journey as a door-opener. “Now everybody is watching,” he said. His condition for any deal is unambiguous: sporting merit over commercial appeal.

At 40, Vozinha intends to play for at least one or two more seasons, depending on how his body responds. The World Cup may be over, but the search for a final chapter is just beginning, with Colo Colo currently the most concrete destination for a goalkeeper determined to prove that his story was never just about a viral moment.