Cape Verde made waves at the FIFA World Cup. After the match, Mr. Lin, a Wenzhou entrepreneur who has been doing business locally for 23 years, took the initiative to visit Vozinha's family. A short video capturing the local football atmosphere went viral internationally, garnering over 10 million views online. On June 21, a New Yellow River reporter interviewed Mr. Lin to hear the true story about Vozinha and local football in Cape Verde. The following is the interview between the reporter and Mr. Lin.

New Yellow River: What motivated you to come to Cape Verde to develop your business?

Mr. Lin: I was born in 1982, so I'm 44 years old now, and I've been in Cape Verde for 23 years. My wife runs a clothing store, and I mainly deal with building materials. Back then, a relative brought me here to develop my business. Wenzhou people have always had a tradition where relatives and friends help each other when going abroad to do business. The business environment here was more suitable for my development.

New Yellow River: How did you and Vozinha's family come to know each other?

Mr. Lin: We've known each other for a long time. Vozinha's two brothers play for a local club that I've been sponsoring for years, so the whole family knows me well. Vozinha's cousin also works at my wife's clothing store now. I organize charity events locally every year, and most people in our town know me. I don't feel any distance when interacting with locals; in my free time, we sit together, chat about daily life, and socialize over drinks. I've made many good friends across various industries, and there's no awkwardness between us. After living here for more than twenty years, I can handle daily communication and business discussions with ease.

New Yellow River: Local players in Cape Verde earn very low salaries, making it difficult to meet basic needs from football alone. What's the estimated income level for ordinary people and players there? Do players typically have side jobs?

Mr. Lin: Local players' monthly salaries are equivalent to only 1,000 to 2,000 yuan. The basic wage for ordinary locals is generally in this range, with only civil servants in various positions earning relatively higher salaries. Before securing a stable, well-paying professional contract, most players in Cape Verde must work side jobs to supplement household income. Vozinha also has several jobs, though I haven't looked into the specific details of what they are.

New Yellow River: Despite such minimal player income, why do locals maintain such high passion for football?

Mr. Lin: Football has long been a deeply rooted local culture in Cape Verde. Nearly every district has its own football club. Locals play football for recreation in their spare time, and you can see children and teenagers playing football everywhere on the streets. Everyone plays purely out of love for the game, and being able to represent their hometown and country in competition is deeply meaningful to them.

New Yellow River: Vozinha's mother went to the United States to watch the match. Which aspects of the visa process did you help coordinate? What did you discuss on the way to the airport?

Mr. Lin: I only accompanied her to take the required visa photos. That day, I personally drove Vozinha's mother to the airport. On the way, I assured her that she would soon reunite with her son, and she also hoped that the Cape Verde team would continue to create miracles on the field.

New Yellow River: After the match against Spain, you immediately visited Vozinha's family. What motivated you to do that at that moment?

Mr. Lin: In that match, Vozinha showed Cape Verde to the world. I simply wanted to go and congratulate them. I even prepared some simple flowers and chocolate for the visit as a gesture of celebration. Here, sincere embraces and genuine well-wishes mean more than expensive gifts.

New Yellow River: When you first visited, what was Vozinha's mother's reaction? What did you discuss about Vozinha's childhood football experiences at their home?

Mr. Lin: Vozinha's mother was very happy to see me. She immediately hugged me and repeatedly thanked me. She invited me into the living room and showed me old photos of him playing football since childhood, sharing stories from his past. Vozinha showed determination from a young age; when he lost matches as a child, he would quietly resolve to adjust and win next time. His mother is very proud that her son has shown Cape Verde to the world, and at the same time, she hopes he will continue to create miracles on the field.

New Yellow River: Your visit to Vozinha's family has been viewed tens of millions of times online, and journalists from various countries have come to interview locally. Many people have also contacted you. How has this popularity affected your work and life?

Mr. Lin: Recently, I often see reporters from various countries at the airport wanting to follow up on interviews. Currently, the team's popularity remains high, and excessive interviews could negatively impact Vozinha and his family, so I help coordinate this. If netizens add me on WeChat wanting to know about the local situation, I'll objectively share accurate information, and I also update the local situation on Douyin. My mindset has always been relatively stable, and I'm willing to share these things.

New Yellow River: Some netizens believe you released the video to pursue popularity from this event. What's your take on that?

Mr. Lin: I had no intention of chasing popularity. Wenzhou merchants have a tradition of doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, and I've been influenced by that. Moreover, since 2005, I've continuously engaged in public welfare activities in the local area, helping those in need to the best of my ability, and I've also sponsored several local teams.

New Yellow River: Cape Verde will face an important upcoming match. How do you plan to watch it? Regardless of the result, will you continue recording local life and Vozinha's family's daily routines?

Mr. Lin: I can watch the match at 9 p.m. local time. I have two viewing options: go to the large square in the city center or go to Vozinha's house to watch with his family. I'll most likely go to his house. Vozinha's mother departed for the United States the day before yesterday to watch her son play in person. I will always support Cape Verde's football team and continue to record and upload authentic footage of local life. I hope that through my small actions, more people around the world will come to know and understand Cape Verde, and at the same time, I want to showcase the real people of China, building a bridge for cultural exchange between our two nations from a civil perspective.

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Diterjemahkan oleh AI.