Mother of Cabo Verde hero Vozinha sends emotional World Cup message before Uruguay clash

Football is not just about goals and tactics. Sometimes, it is about pure love.Ana Candida Evora, the mother of Cabo Verde’s superstar goalkeeper Vozinha, has sent a beautiful message of thanks to football fans all over the world."Strength and courage, Blue Sharks!" she said in an emotional video message. She shared her words right before heading to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami to watch her son play against South American giants Uruguay in their Group H match.

This comes after a massive wave of support turned her into one of the sweetest stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Earlier in the week, 40-year-old Vozinha became a global hero. He made seven incredible saves to help his small island nation secure a shocking 0-0 draw against former world champions Spain on their World Cup debut.However, celebrations turned emotional when a tearful Vozinha revealed that his mother could not watch him play in person because she could not afford the expensive US visa fees and travel costs.His tears touched hearts worldwide, causing his Instagram followers to skyrocket from 50,000 to nearly 15 million.The story even reached high-level US politicians. American lawmakers and the State Department quickly stepped in, waiving all fees and fast-tracking her documents so she could fly out to Florida.

After a 24-hour journey, she finally landed in Miami on Friday to surprise her son.

"I want to thank all the fans, everyone who helped in the process, for the support you gave," Evora said in remarks distributed by FIFA. "We are all rooting for Cabo Verde to play well, to shine on the pitch. The players need to have faith and everything will go well."Cabo Verde entered the tournament as major underdogs. However, with their veteran goalkeeper in top form and his mother finally cheering him on from the stands, the "Blue Sharks" have all the inspiration they need to keep making history.