Vozinha landed in Santiago on Sunday to a rousing welcome from Colo Colo supporters and joined his new teammates in training two days later.
The seasoned Cape Verde goalkeeper became a cult favorite when his country earned its first-ever World Cup point against Spain in the group stage, and his Instagram following shot up from about 50,000 to nearly 30 million.
After helping Cape Verde reach the knockouts and push eventual finalists Argentina to extra time in the last 32, he was selected for FIFA’s team of the tournament and even inspired the name of a newly discovered sea slug species.
His career has taken him through Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and, most recently, Portugal’s second-tier side Chaves, yet he has always viewed himself as a “big-club” player.
Signing for Colo Colo—Chile’s most decorated side, with 34 Primera División titles and 14 Copa Chile trophies—is, he says, the pinnacle of his career.
He described the decision as straightforward: despite years in smaller leagues with clubs short of giant status, he always believed he belonged at an elite team. When Colo Colo made their approach, he knew immediately where he wanted to play and, although there were many offers, Colo Colo remained his first choice.
He added that while the World Cup was the greatest moment of his footballing life, it is now in the past; representing a massive, tradition-rich club like Colo Colo is the highlight of his club career.