Bojinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who delivered a standout performance against World Cup favorites Spain, has surpassed 11.34 million followers on Instagram, overtaking Shohei Ohtani.
As of 4 p.m. on June 17, Bojinha's follower count reached 11.34 million, a dramatic increase from just 50,000 before the match. This surge in followers followed his remarkable performance in a single World Cup game, 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 nicknames," "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, in the first match of Group H at the 2026 FIFA World Cup held at the stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Cape 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 achievement as he defended the goal for Cape Verde.
Throughout the match, Cape Verde faced 27 shots and 40 crosses, but Bojinha made seven crucial saves, leading his team to a 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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