[International] 2026 World Cup / Cape Verde Goalkeeper Becomes Famous Overnight, US State Department to Assist Mother in Obtaining Visa
bellala 央廣7h agoEdited
According to CNN, a US State Department official said on the 16th that the State Department is trying to help the mother of Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha come to the United States to watch her son play in the World Cup.
After Cape Verde's surprising 1-1 draw with Spain in their World Cup debut on the 15th, Vozinha said his mother could not attend the match because she could not afford the visa bond.
Vozinha told reporters after the match: "She couldn't come here because of the visa... we had to pay the visa fee," "We couldn't get it done in time, I wish she could have been here."
Cape Verde is one of the 50 countries whose citizens are required to pay a $15,000 visa bond by the Trump administration, which accuses these countries of having high visa overstay rates.
When asked about Vozinha's remarks, a US State Department official said there was no record of the player's mother applying for a visa. The official also said that "relatives of all players" are exempt from the bond.
The official said: "The US State Department has no record of this individual applying for a passport. Relatives of all players are eligible for a waiver of the visa bond, and the State Department is actively contacting the player's family to assist with visa services."
CNN quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying that, to their knowledge, Vozinha's mother does not currently have a valid passport and is in the process of applying for one.
The US State Department stated on its website that "athletes and team members participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including coaches, necessary logistical staff, and immediate family members, if they are citizens of participating countries and can demonstrate that they meet all visa requirements, will be exempt from the bond requirement."
For Vozinha, 40, who plays in the Portuguese second division, this is a case of becoming famous overnight. He made 7 saves against Spain, the favorite to win the championship.
Cape Verde was expected to be swept by European champions Spain, similar to Germany's 7-1 victory over Curaçao, but Vozinha and his teammates withstood Spain's attacks for the entire 90 minutes, achieving the most important draw in the country's football history.
The country of about 530,000 people is celebrating, and the world is celebrating with this small nation, making the previously unknown goalkeeper a media focus.
With the help of some Brazilian commentators, Vozinha's Instagram followers have surpassed the 10 million mark.
Cape Verde's next match will be against Uruguay in Miami at 6:00 PM Eastern Time on the 21st (6:00 AM Taiwan Time on the 22nd). (Editor: Chen Wen-wei)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=214952
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