Bojinia, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who delivered a standout performance against World Cup favorite Spain, has surpassed 11.34 million followers on Instagram, overtaking Shohei Ohtani.
As of 4 p.m. on June 17, Bojinia's follower count reached 11.34 million, a dramatic increase from just 50,000 before the match. This surge in followers came just one day after his impressive showing, elevating him to the status of a global sports star.
Following this, claims emerged online that Bojinia has been following only female accounts.
Photos shared alongside these claims showed that after gaining millions of new followers, he began following over 2,000 female accounts.
Some fans reacted positively, commenting, "GOAT of the nickname," "Enjoying life as a World Cup star," "The reward for 40 years of waiting is immense," and "Became a global celebrity overnight."
Earlier, on June 16, during the first match of Group H in the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup held at the Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, Cape Verde managed to secure a 0-0 draw against Spain, ranked third in the world, despite allowing 27 shots. Bojinia played a crucial role in this result, defending Cape Verde's goal.
Throughout the match, Cape Verde faced 27 shots and 40 crosses, but Bojinia saved seven critical shots on target, leading his team to a remarkable draw. After the match, he was named Man of the Match and was seen shedding tears on the field.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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