[International] 2026 World Cup / Cape Verde Goalkeeper Becomes Famous Overnight; US State Department to Assist Mother in Obtaining Visa

According to a report by CNN, a US State Department official stated on the 16th that the State Department is trying to help Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha's mother come to the United States to watch her son compete in the World Cup. After Cape Verde's surprising 1-1 draw against 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 game: "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 be 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 accused 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 "all players' relatives" are exempt from the bond requirement. The official stated: "The US State Department has no record of this individual applying for a passport. All players' relatives 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 knowledgeable source as saying that, to their understanding, 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 the participating country and can demonstrate that they meet all visa requirements, will be exempt from the bond requirement." For Vozinha, who is 40 years old and plays for a Portuguese second-division team, this is a case of becoming famous overnight. He made 7 saves in the match against the favored Spanish team. Cape Verde was expected to be swept by the 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 nation of about 530,000 people celebrated wildly, and the world celebrated with this small country, making the previously unknown goalkeeper a media focus. With the help of some Brazilian commentators, Vozinha's Instagram follower count has surpassed 10 million. Cape Verde's next match will be against Uruguay in Miami on the 21st at 6 PM Eastern Time (6 AM on the 22nd Taiwan time). (Editor: Chen Wen-wei)