Cape Verde Goalkeeper Inspires New Sea Slug Species Named After Him

The remarkable story of Cape Verde's goalkeeper, Vozinha, continues to capture attention well after the national team’s exit from the World Cup. The 40-year-old goalkeeper, who became one of the tournament’s standout heroes due to his exceptional performances and Cape Verde’s surprising advancement to the knockout stage, has been honored in a unique way. A newly discovered species of sea slug in the Caribbean has been named Aldisa vozinha in his honor by Spanish biologist Jesús Ortea, who discovered the tiny marine creature.

Ortea explained in his scientific report that he wanted to commemorate Vozinha’s "prominent role" in the World Cup. He noted that the sea slug’s red color reminded him of Vozinha’s heroic display during Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw against Spain, known as "La Roja" (The Red). Vozinha was instrumental in Cape Verde becoming the second smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup and securing its first-ever point in the tournament.

Cape Verde’s journey included a dramatic knockout round match where they narrowly lost 3-2 after extra time to defending champions Argentina. Vozinha’s impressive performances quickly made him a global star, with his Instagram followers soaring from around 50,000 before the tournament to over 17 million during it, making him one of the most talked-about figures on social media.

For Ortea, a professor emeritus at the University of Oviedo in Spain, this is not the first time he has combined his passion for football with scientific research. Previously, he named another species after former Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas and a different marine species after former Spanish striker Kiki.