Vozinha Secures Special Jersey Exemption for Colo Colo Move

Goalkeeper Vozinha, who gained global recognition for his heroic displays during Cape Verde’s historic World Cup debut, has secured a unique privilege with his new Chilean club, Colo Colo. The Chilean Football Federation (ANFP) has granted the 40-year-old an exemption to wear his nickname, ‘Vozinha,’ on his jersey, despite league rules typically requiring players to use their legal names.

Under ANFP regulations, playing shirts are generally restricted to legal names, prohibiting the use of nicknames or sobriquets. However, Colo Colo successfully petitioned for Vozinha to use ‘Vozinha,’ a moniker that translates to ‘little granny’ in Portuguese and holds significant personal and cultural meaning for the Cape Verdean international.

“It is the name I have used my entire life,” Vozinha stated at a press conference, emphasizing its deep significance both in his home country and now on a global stage. He expressed hope that his grandmother would be proud and that he could continue using the name as a tribute throughout his career.

Vozinha arrived in Santiago to a warm reception from Colo Colo fans and has since joined team training. His World Cup performances, which included helping Cape Verde achieve their first World Cup point against Spain and pushing eventual finalists Argentina to extra time, catapulted him to international fame. His social media following surged from 50,000 to nearly 30 million, and he was even honored with a newly discovered species of sea slug being named after him.

Despite a career that has taken him across various leagues in Europe and Africa, Vozinha always believed he was destined for a ‘big club.’ He views his move to Colo Colo, the most decorated club in Chilean league history, as the pinnacle of his club career.

https://nilepost.co.ug/news/361403/vozinha-granted-shirt-name-exemption-by-chile-fa