Goalkeeper Vozinha races from Chile to London for Ballon d'Or night

Josimar José Évora Dias, known to the world as Vozinha, arrived at the London Palladium on Monday night wearing a white track suit. He had just completed a frantic journey from Santiago, Chile, to London, departing his home country only six hours before the ceremony began. The trip required a flight to Madrid and a transfer on a private jet, all to secure his place among the nominees for the Ballon d'Or.

The nomination recognizes Vozinha's performance at the summer World Cup, not his regular club play. He had limited starts for Chaves in Portugal and had recently joined Colo-Colo in Chile, where he is competing for a starting spot. His international star turn included a clean sheet against eventual champions Spain and a performance that forced eventual finalists Argentina into extra time in the round of 32.

His social media following surged from 56,000 to 27.7 million during the tournament. FIFA fans voted him into the Dream XI starting lineup. Before the ceremony, Vozinha played in a league match for Colo-Colo on Sunday, making three saves in a 1-1 draw with Palestino. He then rushed to the airport to begin his sprint to London, where he was escorted through the terminal by a bodyguard.

Inside the Palladium, Vozinha signed autographs and posed for photos with Lamine Yamal and Fabio Capello. He sat in the second row, far from an aisle, anticipating that he would not need to walk up to the stage. The event's video presentation of nominees cut short before his name was shown, a technical error that highlighted his status as a long shot.

Vozinha has admitted the pressures of sudden fame have been difficult. In a recent interview with The Observer, he said he would choose his pre-fame life if given the option. He faced setbacks in September when Cape Verde lost two AFCON qualifying matches, including a 3-1 defeat to Mali and a 2-1 loss to Rwanda.

His manager at Chaves, Vítor Martins, described Vozinha as a perfect professional living a unique moment in his career. Vozinha knows he is unlikely to share the long-term success of goalkeepers like David Raya or Unai Simón. He left the ceremony lingering in the aisle, looking up at the chandeliers, having spent one night in the company of the sport's elite.