Bringing the Hero's Mother: Will She Be Able to Watch Her Son Play in Person?

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Goalkeeper Vozinha, who became a hero for Cape Verde after blocking a barrage of shots from title contender Spain, remained the center of attention today (June 17). After the story of his mother, who could not attend the match due to visa issues, became known, the U.S. government decided to actively assist in enabling her to cheer for him in person.

Reporter Kim Soo-young has the story.

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Goalkeeper Vozinha, who was named the match MVP after holding off Spain's relentless offensive to secure a draw, shed tears after the game.

[Vozinha/Cape Verde Goalkeeper: (The tears) are because of my mother. She couldn't be here because of a visa. She had to pay to get a visa, but we couldn't come up with the money in time.]

Citizens of certain countries, including Cape Verde, are required to deposit up to $15,000—approximately 23 million won—when applying for a visa. His mother, who had initially planned to watch her son's World Cup debut in person, had to give up on traveling to the U.S. due to the massive cost and complex visa procedures.

In the end, she had to watch her son's historic performance on TV.

[Ana Candida Evora/Vozinha's Mother: It was a very moving experience for me. I was extremely nervous, but I was so happy about what my son achieved in the tournament.]

Once the story became known, the U.S. political sphere took action. The U.S. Department of State announced that it is "actively reaching out to provide visa-related services to the player's family," increasing the possibility that his mother will be able to watch her son's second match in Miami next week in person.

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Meanwhile, Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, who is facing trial on charges including sexual assault, will ultimately miss tomorrow's first match against Panama after Canada denied his visa application.

The Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had appealed Canada's initial denial of Partey's visa, but the Federal Court of Canada dismissed the appeal.

Partey, who has already received a U.S. visa and is currently staying at the team's base camp in the United States, will be able to play in the second and third matches held in the U.S.

(Video Editing: Yoon Tae-ho, Design: Han Heung-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.