Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has admitted he was stunned by his nomination for the 2026 Yashin Trophy, saying he initially believed the news was a prank.
The 40-year-old is one of 10 goalkeepers shortlisted for the prestigious individual award after a year in which his performances for Cape Verde helped make him one of the most recognisable goalkeepers in football.
Despite the recognition, Vozinha has questioned whether he deserves a place on the shortlist alongside goalkeepers playing for some of the world’s leading clubs and in the strongest leagues.
The veteran goalkeeper said his first reaction to the nomination was disbelief and suggested that the recognition should also be viewed as an honour for Cape Verde.
“Many people will say it’s unfair, and in a way, that’s how I feel too. I thought it was a joke when I heard the news. I say that because I have enormous respect for all these great goalkeepers playing in the best leagues and for the best teams in the world. I see it mainly as another reward for the whole of Cape Verde. At this stage of my career and my life, it’s a gift from the universe. So thank you to those who put me there.”
Vozinha’s inclusion places him among the leading goalkeepers considered for the 2026 Yashin Trophy, an achievement that comes at the later stages of a long career.
He is one of three African goalkeepers on the 10-player shortlist. Morocco’s Yassine Bounou and Senegal’s Édouard Mendy are the other African representatives named alongside him.
