the sports characters who left us

The year of 2023 comes to an end with several painful farewells to great personalities linked to the world of sport. O OneTwo Sports remembers the main losses.

Gianluca Vialli

The former striker and idol of Italian football, Gianluca Vialli died on January 6th, aged 58, in a London hospital, due to pancreatic cancer diagnosed five years ago and which forced him to leave his position as head of delegation for the Italian national team on December 14th last year. . Vialli was one of the most important players, managers and coaches in Italian football in the 1990s.

Roberto Dinamite

The greatest idol in the history of Vasco, Roberto Dinamite He passed away on January 8th, aged 68. The former player had been fighting a tumor in his intestine since the end of 2021. Carlos Roberto Gama de Oliveira was born on April 13, 1954, in Duque de Caxias (RJ). He became Dynamite on November 25, 1971, at Maracanã. It was on this day that the striker, then 17 years old, received the nickname that marked his career after scoring his first goal for Vasco, in the 2-0 victory over Internacional.

Almir

The Curitiba native Almir Carlos Manzochi died on February 14, aged 90. Striker and top scorer, he played alongside anthological characters from Coritiba’s history, such as Hamilton, Fedato, Carazzai, Bequinha, Nico, Guimarães, China, Oda, Ivo and Duílio.

Paulo Vecchio

Paulo Vecchio he died on February 17, at the age of 80, after failing to survive a cardiorespiratory arrest. Born in Porto Alegre, he played for Internacional and São Paulo, and played for Coritiba between 1968 and 1972. Vecchio arrived in Paraná in 1962, when he started playing for Londrina, winning the State Championship in the same year. Then, between 1964 and 1967, he played for Ferroviário (one of the clubs that gave rise to Paraná), where he won the second championship in 1965 and 1966.

Just Fontaine

Top scorer in a World Cup edition, the Frenchman Just Fontaine He passed away on March 1st, aged 89. As a player, he held the record for most goals scored in a single edition of the World Cup, with 13 goals in the 1958 World Cup. Fontaine was revealed by Reims, where he played for most of his career.

Laura Pick

Vice President of Athletico, Laura Pick He died at the age of 70 on March 20. A businessman, he held various positions at the club in different terms from 2008 onwards, when he was elected advisor. In 2011, he was a member of the Administrative Council when Mario Celso Petraglia returned to Furacão. Then, in 2015, he was elected vice-president under Luiz Sallim Emed. In the following election, in 2019, he became Petraglia’s 2nd vice-president.

Rinaldo

The former player Rinaldo He passed away on April 6, at the age of 82, in the Recife region. Having played for Coritiba, Náutico, Palmeiras, Fluminense and the Brazilian national team, the former athlete suffered from severe anemia. Born in Pernambuco, Rinaldo was revealed by Timbu and was part of the First Palmeiras Academy in the 60s, playing with Porco idols such as Dudu and Ademir da Guia. His good performance at the São Paulo club led him to the Brazilian team. With hopscotch, Rinaldo played 11 games and scored five goals.

Gil de Ferran

The former Brazilian driver who was successful in motorsport between the 1990s and 2000s, with achievements such as the Indianapolis 500 and the two-time CART championship (currently Formula Indy), passed away on December 29th, at the age of 56. age. He suffered a cardiac arrest while driving on the Concours Club circuit, a private club located in the American city of Opa-Locka, Florida.

Gil Rocha

One of the great names in Paraná journalism, Gil Rocha He left us on July 1st, at the age of 63, victim of a cardiac arrest. Born in Siqueira Campos, in the interior of Paraná, Gilberto Rocha Manuel worked in various roles, such as reporter, presenter, commentator and sports manager. He also worked for SporTV, on the Premiere pay-per-view channel, was also a contributor to Rádio Paiquerê, in Londrina, and covered four World Cups, including the World Cup in the United States, in 1994, the Brazilian team’s fourth championship.

Straw

Player who wore shirts like Corinthians, Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG, Straw he died on July 17, aged 73, in Belo Horizonte. Former striker Vanderlei Eustáquio de Oliveira, a great scorer who helped the São Paulo team end their 22-year title drought, could not resist an infection.

Walewska

Olympic champion with the Brazilian volleyball team, Walewska Moreira de Oliveira died at the age of 43 on September 22, in São Paulo. Born in Belo Horizonte, Walewska had been retired from the court since the end of the 2021/22 season and collected titles during her career. The most important was the gold medal at the Beijing Games, in 2008. The center also had a bronze at the Sydney Olympics, in 2000. She also played for Praia Clube, where she helped win the unprecedented Superliga in 2017/2018, and for Osasco and São Caetano, in addition to Rexona Ades, from Curitiba, between 1998 and 2003, commanded by Bernardinho.

Sir Bobby Charlton

Manchester United idol and world champion with England in 1966, Sir Bobby Charlton passed away on October 21st. Created by Manchester United’s youth teams, he joined the professional team in 1954, winning his first English Championship title in his second season with the club. There were 758 games and 249 goals scored. He stayed at Manchester United from 1954 until 1973. During this period, he was a four-time English Championship champion. He also won four English Super Cup titles, one FA Cup title, and a Champions League title in the 1967/68 season.

Gilson Perini

Gilson Perini, former director of Pinheiros, one of the clubs that gave rise to Paraná Clube, passed away on November 17th, aged 69. He was hospitalized at Hospital das Nações, in Curitiba, where he had worsening complications resulting from a previous car accident. In addition to being director of the now-defunct club, Perini was the owner of one of the largest food companies in the state, Bocatto.

Rubens Minelli

The former coach Rubens Minelli died on November 23, aged 94. He made history in Paraná and Brazilian football, winning Paraná Clube’s fifth state championship in 1997, and achieving four Brazilian titles with Palmeiras, Internacional and São Paulo. He arrived in the capital of Paraná in 1990, being the first coach in the history of Paraná. There were three spells at Tricolor. In the first one, he won a place in Series B of the 1991 Brazilian Championship. In the following passages, in 1994 and 1997, he won the Paranaense titles, being a fundamental part of the fifth state championship. In addition to his great achievements at Tricolor, he also played for Coritiba, in 1997, and was manager of Athletico, in 1998.