World Cup cult hero Vozinha gained 28 million followers on Instagram - but now wants his old life back

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, the man who became an overnight sensation at the World Cup, has admitted he is struggling with his newfound fame.

The 40-year-old, whose real name is Josimar Jose Evora Dias, was thrown into the spotlight on June 15, when he recorded seven saves and a clean sheet against eventual champions Spain in the group stage.

It was a life-changing performance. Vozinha went from having 50,000 followers on Instagram to over 1 million in the space of 24 hours.

READ MORE: Vozinha forced to wear a different name on the back of his shirt

In fact, such was his impact on the tournament, the goalkeeper currently has more than 28 million followers on the social media platform, which is more than the likes of Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.

His performances even earned him a move to Colo Colo, the biggest and most successful football club in Chile, but according to the man himself, there have been some downsides to finding fame.

Speaking in an interview with The Observer, Vozinha explained why he preferred life before he became an overnight sensation.

“I’ve lost my peace and tranquillity,” he said. “I no longer have any privacy, or at least much less than I used to. Now I go out, I go to a restaurant, and there’s always someone who wants to take a photo with me or asks me for an autograph. Or, worse, someone is filming me.

"That’s what has changed most in my life, and I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it."

He added: "A lot of people want to be famous and have a public profile, but they only see the positive side of that reality. To be honest, if I were offered the life I have today or the life I had before, I’d choose the one I had before.”

Vozinha says fame has also impacted those closest to him

In the interview, Vozinha also gave an insight into how life in the spotlight has affected those around him. His mother, for example, is approached at her home in Cape Verde on a daily basis, with fans asking for pictures.

"I’m not there, so I can’t help them," said the goalkeeper. "They have to learn to live with the situation and set boundaries.”

Vozinha became an overnight sensation at the World Cup. Image credit: Getty

Beyond his fame, you could argue the emergence of Cape Verde at this summer's World Cup was the best story of the tournament. After a goalless draw against Spain, they qualified for the last 32 after going unbeaten in Group H.

Vozinha was the standout performer, keeping two clean sheets and making 18 saves across the tournament, but even he couldn't stop eventual finalists Argentina, who recorded a 3-2 win thanks to a late own goal from Diney Borges.

“It’s nice to feel like a kind of ambassador, but I want to make it clear that what we achieved was a collective effort,” Vozinha said about Cape Verde's World Cup run.

“We made history and the best news would be if we could harness that momentum to develop our country and improve the living conditions of our people.”

Vozinha recalls moment he discovered huge rise in Instagram followers

As mentioned above, Vozinha's social media presence skyrocketed after CazéTV, a Brazilian broadcaster, encouraged onlookers to follow Vozinha during Cape Verde's historic draw against Spain.

The goalkeeper has recalled the moment he found out about his new celebrity status. “A member of the team’s catering staff came up to me and told me I had a billion followers,” he said.

“I had no idea what he was talking about; I thought he was joking, but he insisted. Later, I went to do some interviews in the mixed zone and a CazéTV journalist asked me if I knew what was happening.

"She showed me her phone and that was when I saw that I had more than a million followers. I decided to turn off my Instagram notifications so I wouldn’t be tempted to keep checking who was following me."