40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper keeps favorite Spain to 0 goals at World Cup

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (1) makes a save during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta, Monday, June 15, 2026. Mike Stewart/AP hide caption

ATLANTA — It took Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha all of his 40 years on Earth to make his World Cup debut.

Vozinha recorded seven saves Monday, holding Spain's star-studded lineup to a shocking 0-0 draw. The veteran keeper was everywhere as the Spanish team and its fans became increasingly frustrated, despite dominating possession and unleashing 27 shots. Not even the second-half entrance of young superstar Lamine Yamal could crack the code to get past Vozinha and the Cape Verde defense.

As the final whistle blew, Vozinha hunched over near his net and cried before being embraced by his teammates. Cape Verde, in its first-ever World Cup match, had gotten a point against Spain, the 2010 champion and one of the tournament favorites this year.

Vozinha said he was overcome by emotions thinking about his loved ones who were unable to see his finest performance: his grandparents who had raised him, and his mother. His grandparents died a few years ago. And his mother had been unable to gather the money in time to secure a visa to enter the U.S., Vozinha said.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (1) and Deroy Duarte (14) celebrate a tie during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta, Monday, June 15, 2026. Jacob Kupferman/AP hide caption

Cape Verde is among 50 countries whose citizens face bonds of up to $15,000 to secure a U.S. visa, part of President Donald Trump's broader crackdown on travelers from countries that officials said had high rates of visa overstays. The Trump administration last month suspended the requirement for ticket-holders from Cape Verde and four other World Cup nations, but critics said it was too late for many fans.

Vozinha's performance was a culmination of a career that didn't even start at the professional level until Vozinha made his debut at the age of 25 for Angolan club Progresso. Since then, he's had stops in Moldova, Cyprus, Slovakia and Portugal, where he currently plays for Chaves in the Portuguese second division.