'And' Ohtani also surpassed! The 40-year-old unknown goalkeeper who stopped Spain surpasses 11 million followers... even he was surprised

*This content was translated by AI.

Boucha (40, Chaves), who was merely an unknown player, suddenly became a world star. He surpassed not only stars from the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL), but also the number of social media followers of Shohei Ohtani (32, Los Angeles Dodgers), the top player in Major League Baseball (MLB).

As of 3 p.m. on the 17th (Korean time), Boucha's Instagram follower count had surged past 11.28 million. At the same time, Ohtani's Instagram follower count stood at 10.78 million. Just the day before, Boucha's follower count was around 50,000. However, after the match against Spain, it exceeded 1 million immediately, and within a day, it showed explosive growth, surpassing 10 million.

This is because Boucha rose to become a World Cup hero. Boucha guarded the goal for Cape Verde in the first group stage match of the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup H Group against Spain, held on the 16th. He stopped all of Spain's heavy rain of shots, leading to a miraculous 0-0 draw.

On that day, Spain launched a total of 27 shots, recording 7 on target. However, they could not break through the goal guarded by Boucha. Boucha recorded seven saves, one clearance, and one victory in an aerial duel, frustrating the 'Invincible Fleet' Spain.

Thanks to this, his home country Cape Verde earned its first-ever point in a World Cup finals match, and that too in its first game. After the match, Boucha was selected as the MOM (Man of the Match), awarded to the best player. Football statistics media FootMob and HuScore also gave Boucha the highest ratings of 9.0 and 8.85, respectively.

Football fans around the world were also captivated by Boucha's saves. After the Spain match, Boucha's social media follower count skyrocketed.

The effect of the interview was also significant. According to the Associated Press (AP), popular streamer Casimiro Miguel, who operates the Brazilian YouTube channel CazéTV, actively promoted Boucha's social media. CazéTV is a channel that holds the broadcasting rights for all 104 matches of this North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup in Brazil. It is also a famous channel with over 31 million YouTube subscribers.

Miguel noticed during the broadcast of the Cape Verde-Spain match that Boucha did not have many followers. He then asked viewers to follow Boucha. Miguel said, "Usually we ask people to subscribe, but this time we will not ask for a subscription. Instead, we ask for a follow for Boucha. He is surprising the world by stopping Spain. He was the best player in the first half. How about sending him your support?"

As a result, Boucha's follower count increased more than expected. After the Spain match, Boucha gave an interview to CazéTV, and during the interview, upon learning that his followers had surpassed 1 million, he could not hide his surprise, saying, "It's crazy. Really crazy."

The Associated Press explained, "Boucha's Instagram followers reached nearly 10 million within 24 hours after the match. This is a number greater than NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama (6.2 million) and NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes (6.4 million)." Afterward, Boucha's follower count continued to grow, surpassing even Ohtani.

Boucha's family story is also drawing attention. Boucha revealed after the match that his mother could not come to the United States due to visa issues and thus could not watch his World Cup debut match live. According to the AP, the U.S. State Department is working with Cape Verdean authorities to resolve the situation. The media also explained that procedures for issuing Boucha's mother's passport are underway.

Boucha's football career is also dramatic. He made his professional debut only after turning 25. At the age of 40, when retirement was on the horizon, he stepped onto his first World Cup stage and surprised the world in that match. Thanks to his perseverance and refusal to give up, he is now enjoying the best moment of his life.

Boucha sincerely expressed his gratitude to CazéTV. He continued, "Brazilian people have always supported us. We felt that during the process of qualifying for the World Cup finals, and we are feeling it again on the biggest stage. We are always grateful."

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*This content was translated by AI.