'I've lost my peace and tranquillity' - Cape Verde World Cup cult hero Vozinha reveals dark side of overnight viral fame

Reflecting on the whirlwind of instant fame that upended his everyday life, the 40-year-old opened up about losing his personal freedom in an interview with The Observer.

Detailing the relentless attention off the pitch, Vozinha said: "I've lost my peace and tranquillity. 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."

Recalling the surreal moment his phone blew up in the dressing room, he added: "A member of the team's catering staff came up to me and told me I had a billion followers. 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 CazeTV 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."

The overwhelming frenzy prompted the federation to draft in his former agent to handle the media circus, while the keeper took matters into his own hands by disabling notifications to stay focused on his football. Explaining how he tuned out the noise, Vozinha revealed: "I decided to turn off my Instagram notifications so I wouldn't be tempted to keep checking who was following me."

A flood of commercial interest followed as his profile grew, yet he set firm boundaries around prospective endorsements: "I know that during the World Cup there were lots of companies and brands that wanted to work with me, but while we were competing I only did one promotional collaboration, with UFL Mobile. I don't know what offers might come in the future, but for now I don't want to work with any tobacco, alcohol or betting brands."

Underlining his reservations about celebrity culture, the veteran custodian confessed: "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."

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