July 30 (Reuters) – Chilean club Colo-Colo are seeking permission for new signing Vozinha to use his footballing nickname on his shirt when he debuts for the club as expected later this month despite regulations in the South American country prohibiting it.
The 40-year-old proved a goalkeeping sensation for Cape Verde at the World Cup and after his performances for the small island nation, and his worldwide fame on Instagram, is set to sign a six-month deal with Colo-Colo.
But league rules in Chile do not allow players to use nicknames on their jerseys. “For the personal identification of players, the paternal and/or maternal surname must be printed on the upper back of the jersey, between 5 and 5.5 cm high, and the initial of the first name may be added,” according to the league’s regulations.
They also expressly prohibit the use of nicknames.
PREVIOUS EXCEPTIONS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED
“Nicknames, appellations, or sobriquets will not be permitted. If there are players with the same surname at a club, the initial of the first name or the second surname, in that order of precedence, must be added to distinguish them,” the rules continue.
But there have been previous exceptions allowed by the ANFP (Chilean National Association of Professional Football) and Colo-Colo are hoping they will allow the veteran goalkeeper, whose real name is Josimar José Évora Dias, to use Vozinha, as he did during the World Cup.
“We have this problem. I spoke with the ANFP and they showed good disposition. There is a Council of Presidents that was already called for Friday. I have spoken with several presidents of (other clubs) and they have shown me their favourable disposition to have the possibility of him playing with the name Vozinha, considering that he did so in the most important event in the world,” Colo-Colo President Aníbal Mosa told reporters on Wednesday.
The nickname Vozinha, which means “little grandmother” in Portuguese, was given by the older kids when he was a boy and would cry after losing games of street football and storm home to his grandparents, with whom he lived.
Vozinha is expected to arrive in Santiago on Thursday, having been offered a six-month deal, Mosa added.
The agreement also includes an option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.
Vozinha was last at Portuguese second-division club Chaves but has also played at clubs in Angola, Cyprus, Moldova and Slovakia.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by David Holmes)
