Galeria da Memória Atleticana pays tribute to sports writers

In partnership with

Clube Atlético Mineiro

·16 July 2026

Galeria da Memória Atleticana pays tribute to sports writers

The Galeria da Memória Atleticana, located at Arena MRV, will once again host another tribute session organized by Clube Atlético Mineiro, the Centro Atleticano de Memória, and Instituto Galo. During the next two home matches, eight sports journalists who witnessed and helped elevate Atlético’s history will be honored.

Those being honored are Januário Carneiro, Willy Gonser, Luiz Carlos Alves, Hércules Santos, Vilibaldo Alves, Jairo Anatólio Lima, Osvaldo Faria, and José Lino. Their names will be immortalized in the Galeria da Memória during two special sessions at the upcoming matches at Arena MRV, according to the following schedule:

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July 21 (Tuesday) – Atlético vs. Bahia – 7:30 PM

Januário Carneiro
Willy Gonser
Luiz Carlos Alves
Hércules Santos

August 1 (Saturday) – Atlético vs. Juventude – 7:30 PM

Vilibaldo Alves
Jairo Anatólio Lima
Osvaldo Faria
José Lino

The events will take place before these two matches, an hour and a half before kickoff, that is, starting at 6 PM. The Galeria da Memória Atleticana, located at the entrance to the future Museu do Galo, will install commemorative plaques for each of the honorees. Family members and friends will be invited to yet another event that celebrates the legacy of the greatest club in Minas Gerais.

The ceremony will be hosted by Atlético president Sérgio Coelho, Museu do Galo and Centro Atleticano de Memória president Emmerson Maurilio, and Maria Alice Coelho, president of Instituto Galo.

Who are the honorees

Januário Carneiro – Founder of Rádio Itatiaia, a small station created in Nova Lima in 1952 that broke beyond the borders of Minas Gerais and became a broadcasting powerhouse. With a vision ahead of his time, he revolutionized radio communication in Brazil, with a special focus on football coverage. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 66, leaving an immortal legacy in the history of radio.

Willy Gonser – Born in Curitiba, he arrived in Belo Horizonte in 1979 to become the announcer for Atlético matches on Itatiaia, a role he carried out with exceptional dedication, technique, and a remarkable voice, earning him the nickname “the most complete in Brazil.” He thrilled the Massa with their ears glued to the radio, vividly describing the plays of great black-and-white Atlético teams until 2009. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 80.

Luiz Carlos Alves – A true encyclopedia of journalism in Minas Gerais. He worked in radio, print media, and television, and became synonymous with journalistic integrity and ethics. He covered major events and produced memorable reports and interviews. He was a founding member of the Centro Atleticano de Memória and became known for organizing the reunions of the 1971 champions. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 70.

Hércules Santos – Owner of a voice that echoed everywhere and won over Atlético fans through the microphone, he narrated all of Galo’s achievements from 2001 to 2019. A musician in his spare time, he held multiple roles throughout his long career with Sistema Globo de Rádio, and was also part of Rádio Super’s first team when he passed away in 2019 at the age of 45.

Vilibaldo Alves – He will always be remembered as one of the greatest sports announcers in Brazilian radio. Known for his trademark catchphrase “Guess!” when calling a goal, Vilibaldo stood out for the richness of his play-by-play descriptions, never losing sight of objectivity and, in a unique way, being more than a narrator, but a bearer of emotion. He defined an era as one of the driving forces behind Rádio Itatiaia’s huge audience in the 1970s. He also lent his rare talent to Guarani, Capital, and Inconfidência radio stations. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 55.

Jairo Anatólio Lima – A synonym for radio in Minas Gerais, Jairo Anatólio Lima had a long career at Rádio Inconfidência, where he hosted the program “A Hora do Fazendeiro.” He was a sports announcer and also led the station’s sports department. He began his career in the late 1940s, calling the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He was an Atlético advisor as well as a founding member of the Centro Atleticano de Memória. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 81, on the very day Galo celebrated its 101st anniversary. His wake was held in the auditorium at the Lourdes headquarters.

Osvaldo Faria – He was the most widely followed sports journalist in Minas Gerais during the period in which he headed Rádio Itatiaia’s sports department, from 1963 to 2000, introducing an innovative journalistic language to radio sports coverage in Brazil. With the catchphrase “Courage to tell the truth,” Osvaldo Faria was synonymous with credibility, impartiality, and admiration. He revealed talents and was a natural leader. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 69.

José Lino Souza Barros – He transformed listeners’ mornings with the program “Rádio Vivo,” which he hosted for nearly half a century. He is the voice of Rádio Itatiaia’s famous jingle, where he arrived in 1957. He was also the first radio voice of Mineirão. As a sports announcer, he also narrated Atlético’s achievements on television. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 86.

Galeria da Memória Atleticana

The GMA has two lists of important Atlético names: the advisors who took part in the approval process for the Casa do Galo in 2017, and the members of the “Associação Amigos do Galo,” a group of Atlético supporters who helped the Club between 2005 and 2009.

In the tribute section, the space has already received nine plaques, first in August 2025, honoring seven figures linked to Atlético’s anthems and Charanga do Galo: Djalma Andrade, Augusto César Moreira, Vicente Mota, Vítor Bastos, Júlio “the friendliest” Firmino, Bororó, and Veloso.

Founder Mário Neves and his mother, Alice Neves, were also immortalized in the space. In the latest session, it was the turn of the Club’s symbolic supporters – Lambreta, Maria Pretinha, Sempre, Tia Célia, and Vovó do Galo