Silvio Luiz dies aged 89, iconic sports announcer narrated several editions of PES

The world of communication and sports journalism lost 3 huge names between Wednesday and Thursday. Antero Greco, the eternal duo with Paulo Soares, on ESPN’s Sportcenter, Washington Rodrigues, Apolinho, has passed away. Excellent radio broadcaster, notable for his permanent place on Rádio Tupi, and also iconic Silvio Luiz. Considered one of the greatest narrators of all time, and who also lent his unmistakable style to games.

Silvio Luiz died at the age of 89 this Thursday morning (16), due to multiple organ failure. In the gaming world, he lent his voice for six years to Konami’s PES franchise. Acting as the game’s narrator between 2011 and 2016.

In an interview with the Ticaracaticast podcast, from Bola and Carioca, Silvio Luiz explained that it was the comedian Carioca who introduced him to this world of football simulators. At a meeting at the comedian’s house, Silvio Luiz was impressed with the quality of the game and began to narrate the match. Years later, he was hired and became the official voice of the game.

Silvio inaugurated the localization of PES in Portuguese. The first edition of the game aimed at the Brazilian public had as its voice the one who established slogans such as “Olho no lance”, “For the love of my little children”, “For the Barbas of the Prophet”, among many others. Commentaries on the game were provided by another well-known character in Brazilian sports journalism, Mauro Beting.

Silvio said it was a challenge to narrate the game. “This is a new phase of my career, having to narrate what you don’t see,” he said in 2010.

The narrator’s relationship with Konami also had some rifts. The narrator even complained that his lines were disconnected from what was happening in the game. He also said that Konami did not fulfill its promise to put his and Beting’s names on the cover of PES. “Every year they promised, but when the game came out, it wasn’t there”, he stated in an interview.

With countless legendary games under his belt, including coverage of 6 World Cups and 9 Olympics, Silvio’s last job was at Record. With the irreverent broadcast of the Campeonato Paulista, on R7, alongside Bola e Carioca. Silvio also held other roles. He was a football referee and an actor.

Luiz leaves behind a wife, Márcia, and three children, Alexandre, Andréa and André, and goes straight into the pantheon of unmistakable voices that Brazil has had the pleasure of hearing.