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Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has shattered Instagram records during the World Cup group stage, gaining over 17.27 million followers in a matter of three weeks
For three weeks in June, the internet decided that a goalkeeper from a island nation of 500,000 people was the main character.
Vozinha's inspiring display against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia led Cape Verde to finish Group H in second place, collecting three points in the process.
Between 8 June and 29 June 2026, Vozinha saw an astronomical 54,671% spike in just three weeks.
His overnight digital explosion eclipsed several football icons, fundamentally shifting his advertising value.
Before the tournament kicked off, he had a modest following of 31,538 Instagram users
By the end of the group stage, his audience ballooned to 17.27 million followers, eclipsing the individual gains of established global superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo and Messi finished the group stage as the third- and second-highest gainers, respectively. However, their modest percentage growth couldn't match that of the Cape Verdean sensation.
Vozinha's estimated earnings per sponsored post is now estimated to increase from a humble USD316 (RM1,286) to a jaw-dropping USD172,738 (RM703,234)
Meanwhile, Ronaldo finished the group stage with 669.9 million followers, retaining his crown as the platform's most followed individual.
The Portuguese athlete still commands an estimated USD6.70 million (RM27.28 million) per sponsored post, indicating that the traditional hierarchy remains steady at the top.
Other athletes, including Douglas Santos, Eloy Room, and Japanese forward Keito Nakamura, also experienced massive surges, proving that the tournament remains an unmatched launchpad.
