World Cup hero has animal species named after him, following Maradona and Messi's footsteps

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FT Desk

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has been one of the heroes of the 2026 World Cup so far, with his herculean performances against Spain and Argentina earning him legions of new fans.

Incredibly, he earned over 28 million new followers on Instagram following his World Cup exploits. Before the tournament, he had around 50,000 followers and now his follower count stands at 28.6 million.

The 40-year-old has now been honoured in a unique way, with a species of animal named after him.

The animal in question is a new species of sea slug discovered in the Caribbean by biologist Jesus Ortea, who has previously named other species after former Real Madrid stopper Keylor Navas and Sporting Gijon forward Quini.

"A new species of the genus Aldisa Begh, 1878, extracted from the Caribbean remnant of the study collection of the first author, characterised by its bright red color, tubers of the mantle, jaws and radula is described," Oreta's research read.

"Other species of the genre described by the author are included in the article along with those dedicated to two other charismatic soccer players, Keylor Navas from Costa Rica and the Spaniard Enrique Castro Quini.

"The species is dedicated to Vozinha, the goalkeeper of the Cape Verde soccer team, Spain's first rival in the 2026 World Cup."

Vozinha follows in the footsteps of both Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, both of whom have had animal species named after them previously.

Maradona has actually had a couple of animal species named after him.

One example is Bogasonia maradoniana, a deep-sea snail discovered by Argentine researchers. They chose its name as a tribute to Maradona because he was a national icon who brought pride and joy to Argentina, especially after their 1986 World Cup victory.

Another example is Diegoglossidium maradonai, a parasitic flatworm found in freshwater fish. The researchers named both the new genus and species after Maradona, explaining that the dedication was meant to celebrate his influence and the happiness he gave to millions of people around the world. They also pointed out that naming a parasite after someone is not meant as an insult. In biology, it is simply a way of honouring a person.

As for Messi, scientists discovered a new species of snake in Ecuador in 2023 and named it Synophis messii as a tribute to the superstar. The snake is a small, non-venomous species that lives in Ecuador's cloud forests. The researchers also hoped that naming it after someone as well-known as Messi would help bring more attention to the region's unique wildlife and the need to protect it.

Also in 2023, scientists discovered a new species of spider in Argentina and named it Acanthogonatus messii.

It's a small burrowing species found in the sandy landscapes of the South American country.