Related videos:
Ana Cândida Évora, mother of Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha, has received her visa to enter the United States, as confirmed by journalist and insider Fabrizio Romano on his social media. She will be able to attend her son's upcoming match in the against Uruguay, scheduled for Sunday, June 21, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The conclusion comes days after Vozinha broke down in tears at a press conference following the historic 0-0 draw between Cape Verde and Spain on Monday, June 15, in Atlanta, where he was named the best player of the match with seven decisive interventions.
"My mother couldn’t be here because of the visa. The money we have to pay. We couldn’t manage it in time, and I wish she were here," declared the 40-year-old goalkeeper in tears to the media.
The case immediately highlighted the consequences of the visa bond policy imposed by the Trump administration, which requires citizens from 50 countries — including Cape Verde — to deposit a bond of up to 15,000 dollars to obtain a tourist visa, citing high rates of irregular stay.
The story moved millions of people and quickly reached the highest political levels of Washington. The Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, personally contacted Secretary of State Marco Rubio to request his intervention in the case.
The State Department responded by confirming that all immediate family members of players from the 2026 World Cup are eligible to apply for a visa bond waiver, a measure that already existed but had not been communicated in time to the goalkeeper's family.
Cape Verde was added to the list of countries subject to the visa bond on January 21, 2026, just months before the start of the tournament. This measure has faced criticism for its disproportionate impact on low-income individuals who wish to travel legally to the United States, and the case of Vozinha's mother became its most human face during the World Cup.
The goalkeeper, whose real name is Josimar Dias, arrived at the tournament practically unknown to the general public, with a market value of just 50,000 euros and without a team for the upcoming season after his contract with G.D. Chaves from Portugal ended.
His performance against Spain—where he dominated the match with 74% possession and took 25 shots without scoring—catapulted him to worldwide fame overnight: he went from 56,000 to over 5.9 million followers on Instagram in a matter of hours.
Now, with her mother on the way to Miami, Vozinha will have in the stands the person she wanted to see the most when Cape Verde faces Uruguay in search of its second historical point in the World Cup.
"We have worked our whole lives for this team, for this dream. Many think we are small, but we are going to compete in every match," the goalkeeper stated in his interview with TVE after the debut against Spain.
Filed under: