Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has admitted he’s an Arsenal fan, following his World Cup clean sheet for his country against Spain.
Cape Verde pulled off one of the early shocks of the 2026 World Cup on Monday, holding Spain to a 0-0 draw. The match would have been an unforgettable experience for 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, keeping a clean sheet against the European champions.
Speaking after the game, Vozinha revealed that the game was special for other reasons too, as he had the chance to face off against some players for the clubs he supports – Barcelona and Arsenal.
“I am a fan of Barcelona, I am a fan of Arsenal also,” Vozinha admitted. “[David] Raya was on the bench and he’s a great goalkeeper. Rodri plays [for] Manchester City, that is one of the best teams in the world. But when the game starts, I think we forget that.
“The game was very hard, very difficult, but we are there to give our best. We know they have a lot of quality. This (giving everything) is the key for us, and the key to make a good game.”
Given his age, it’s perhaps no surprise Vozinha is a fan of Arsenal. He would have grown up with the Gunners winning the league four times before he was an adult, as well as achieving six domestic cup successes, five Community Shields, and the European Cup Winners Cup.
Arsenal legends like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Dennis Bergkamp were the stars of some of those teams, and Arsene Wenger took over when Vozinha was just 10 years old.
It was certainly easy to fall in love with that exciting and successful brand of football Arsenal were producing at the time, with an international lineup that would have appealed to those watching on from further afield.
Unfortunately, only one Arsenal international actually made it onto the pitch for Spain on the day, with Mikel Merino coming on as a substitute towards the end of the match.
Raya and Martin Zubimendi were both named on the bench, and neither of them came on, so Vozinha didn’t face as many Gunners as he might have hoped.
He did at least get to play against plenty of Barcelona players, with Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Ferran Torres, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, and Dani Olmo all featuring in the match.
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