Bojinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who delivered a standout performance against World Cup favorite Spain, has surpassed Shohei Ohtani with 11.34 million Instagram followers.
As of 4 p.m. on June 17, Bojinha's follower count reached 11.34 million, a significant 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.
Online discussions have emerged suggesting that Bojinha is only following female accounts.
Photos shared alongside these claims show that after gaining millions of new followers, he began following over 2,000 female accounts.
Fans reacted with comments such as, "GOAT of the nickname," "Living life as a World Cup star," "The reward for 40 years of waiting is immense," and "He became a global celebrity overnight."
Earlier, on June 16, during the opening match of Group H at the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup held at the Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, Cabo Verde managed to secure a 0-0 draw against Spain, ranked third in the world, despite allowing 27 shots. Bojinha played a crucial role in this outcome, defending Cabo Verde's goal.
Throughout the match, Cabo Verde faced 27 shots and 40 crosses, but Bojinha made seven crucial saves, leading his team to a hard-fought 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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