Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha has just been nominated for the first time for the ‘Ballon d’Or Goalkeeper of the Season’ award, at the age of 40.

The veteran gained worldwide recognition for his incredible performance at the 2026 World Cup, helping Cape Verde progress to the knockout stages on their debut in the tournament.

Vozinha kept clean sheets against Uruguay, Spain (the tournament champions) and Saudi Arabia, as well as making extraordinary saves in the round of 16 against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. The South American side eventually won the match in extra time.

Far more than just a national hero in Cape Verde, Vozinha became a global sensation during and after the tournament. Today, he is the most-followed goalkeeper in the world on Instagram.

‘Always with my feet on the ground and my heart in my homeland.’ – Vozinha

He began the tournament without a club, after his contract with Chaves, in the Portuguese second division, had come to an end. But his remarkable campaign in North America opened up a new path: shortly afterwards, he took his talent to Chile and signed for Colo-Colo.

Although many people didn’t know who Vozinha was before 2026, today it would be hard to find a football fan who doesn’t know the Cape Verdean star.

Reacting to his nomination at the ‘Ballon d’Or’ ceremony, Vozinha shared a moving message on his social media: ‘From São Vicente, Cape Verde, to the world. There are moments that seem too big… until the day we realise that the whole journey was worth it. Today, seeing my name amongst the nominees for the ‘Ballon d’Or’ is hard to put into words. I remember where I came from, everything I’ve been through, the sacrifices, the hardships and all those who have walked this path with me. This nomination isn’t just mine. I carry with me São Vicente, Cape Verde and an entire people who never stopped believing. I am grateful to God, to my family, to my teammates and to everyone who has been part of this journey. Always with my feet on the ground and my heart in my homeland. Thank you, Cape Verde. Thank you, world.’ (Instagram)

It makes sense that Vozinha would devote a large part of his message to talking about Cape Verde. After all, the small nation defied all expectations at the World Cup and made football history, helping to inspire fans in Africa and around the world.

He is the first Cape Verdean player to be nominated for an award at the ‘Ballon d’Or’ ceremony.

His post received congratulatory comments from several of his international teammates who also made history at the World Cup, such as Diney Borges and Sidny Lopes Cabral.

Another reason why Vozinha’s nomination is historic is that he is the oldest active player to be nominated for an award at this year’s ceremony.

The oldest active players nominated for an award at this year’s ‘Ballon d’Or’ ceremony:
(age as at 8 September 2026 – the day the nominees were announced)

  1. Vozinha (40 years and 97 days)

  2. Lionel Messi (39 years and 76 days)

  3. Wendie Renard (36 years and 50 days)

  4. Ann-Katrin Berger (35 years and 334 days)

  5. Yassine Bounou (35 years and 156 days)

  6. Édouard Mendy (34 years and 191 days)

  7. Sadio Mané (34 years and 151 days)

  8. Thibaut Courtois (34 years and 120 days)

  9. Emiliano Martínez (34 years and 6 days)

  10. Pernille Harder (33 years and 297 days)

Without a doubt, 2026 will go down as an unforgettable year for the Cape Verdean national team, for Vozinha and, of course, for world football.