By Nick Mulvenney
TAMPA, Florida, June 18 (Reuters) - Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha said on Thursday he was very happy his mother had obtained a U.S. visa and would be able to watch him play against Uruguay in the World Cup this weekend.
The 40-year-old was Player of the Match in Cape Verde's tournament opener on Tuesday after making a series of saves to secure a stunning 0-0 draw with European champions Spain in Atlanta.
He was reduced to tears after the match, however, because his grandparents, who
raised him, had passed away and his mother, Ana Candida Evora, had been unable to witness his heroics in person because of the costs of getting a visa.
The U.S. State Department stepped in after his emotional post-match comments went viral and on Tuesday confirmed that Evora had received approval to travel.
The Blue Sharks play their second World Cup group match on Sunday and Evora, who is on her way to the U.S. from Cape Verde's capital Praia, will now be in the stands at Miami Stadium.
"For me, this is very important because all my family always supports me in everything," Vozinha told reporters at the team's training camp.
"And to have her here, for me, it's something special. My father also is here, my brother, so I am very happy. I wish I could bring more, maybe my brothers and sisters and nephews, but I think sometimes it's difficult."
Cape Verde was among dozens of countries whose citizens needed to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the U.S. under President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, but that requirement was later dropped for World Cup ticket holders.
With a little help from a Brazilian TV station, Vozinha's performance in Atlanta boosted his following on Instagram from 50,000 before Tuesday's match to 13.7 million on Thursday.
When asked whether it was all becoming a distraction for the squad, Cape Verde midfielder Deroy Duarte said everyone was delighted for their goalkeeper.
"Vozinha is a very good guy," he said. "We're all happy for him. I think this one match changed his life. So, no, it's more of a thing of happiness, and it shows what the World Cup can do, and I think that's it. We're just happy for him."
The goalkeeper himself was happier to keep a lid on it all as the squad prepares to face another former World Cup-winning team in the shape of Uruguay on Sunday.
"We are here because of football," he said. "We are here because of the national team and because of the World Cup. So I'm very grateful for everything, but please let's speak about football."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
