The Chilean Football Federation has approved a special exemption permitting Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha to display his nickname rather than his legal name, Josimar Jose Evora Dias, on his Colo Colo uniform. The 40-year-old recently signed a six-month contract with the Chilean Liga de Primera club, following international recognition gained during recent World Cup competition.
Under standard ANFP regulations, players must wear their legal names on match shirts, with the rulebook explicitly prohibiting the use of nicknames or other alternative appellations. Despite this policy, Colo Colo successfully petitioned for an exemption on behalf of their new signing. The nickname Vozinha, which translates to “little granny” in Portuguese, carries personal and cultural significance for the goalkeeper.
At a press conference, Vozinha explained the importance of the name to his identity and heritage. He described it as a tribute to his family history and expressed hope to continue using it throughout his career. He arrived in Santiago on Sunday and began training with his new teammates two days later, receiving a warm reception from Colo Colo supporters.
Vozinha achieved widespread recognition following Cape Verde’s World Cup performance, which included a historic group stage point against Spain and advancement to the knockout stages. The team faced Argentina in the last 32, with Vozinha’s performance earning him selection to Fifa’s team of the tournament. His social media following expanded dramatically from 50,000 to nearly 30 million followers, and he was honored when a newly discovered sea slug species was named in his honor.
Before joining Colo Colo, Vozinha played in Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus, and Portugal’s second division. He described his move to Colo Colo, the most successful team in the Primera Division with 34 titles and 14 Copa Chile championships, as the career highlight of his club career, having long considered himself suited for elite-level competition.
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