Fernando Vanucci has established himself as one of the best known sports journalists Brazilians, becoming yet another Italian-Brazilian highly successful in the country.
Fernando Antonio Vanucci Braz was born in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, on March 5, 1951 and from a very early age he was sure of his vocation for area of communication.
At 15 years old, Vanucci was already working at Radio Sociedade Triângulo Mineiro, in his hometown. In the following years, he went through Radio Sete Colinas, where he already worked as a presenter, ahead of the Painting the Seven program. At the same station, he began his career as a sports reporter.
At the age of 20, he was hired by Radio Inconfidência from Belo Horizonte. The next step was to enter the Globo, first in Minas Gerais, from 1973 to 1977, then to Globo Journalism Center from Rio de Janeiro.
Career at TV Globo
On TV Globo, Fernando Vanucci presented several newspapers and television shows, such as Globo Esporte, RJTV, Spectacular sport, Jornal Nacional, Jornal Hoje, Fantástico and Fantástico goals, Among others.
It was for Globo that the journalist covered six World Cups: Argentina (1978), Spain (1982), Mexico (1986), Italy (1990), United States (1994) and France (1988).
The highlight of his performances at the World Cup was in Mexico Cup, when he ran the program Copa 1986 and created the catchphrase that would become his trademark: “Hello You!”.
The country was experiencing a moment of euphoria with the Cruzado Plan of President José Sarney, and an atmosphere of “everything has to work out”. However, the Brazilian team, led in the second World Cup followed by technician Telê Santana, was disqualified by France. After the game, narrating a poem by Affonso Romano de Sant'Anna, Fernando Vanucci couldn't hold back the tears.
Fernando Vanucci's versatility
Still on Rede Globo, alongside names like Luciano do Valle, Galvão Bueno, Leo Batista and Mylena Ciribelli, the journalist covered the Olympics in Moscow (1980), Los Angeles (1984), Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996). He was also an anchor on transmissions from Carnival na Marquis of Sapucai, in Rio de Janeiro, between 1985 and 1999.
In 1998, after going live on air swallowing a bread and butter, went to the station's refrigerator, where he came out to narrate the your last carnival.
In April 1999, after signing a contract with the sports marketing company Traffic, premiered on Sports Show on TV Bandeirantes, where he stayed until 2001. At the station, he also covered the 2000 Summer Olympics, in Sydney (Australia), presented the daily program Esporte Agora and the Bahia Carnival.
The journalist at Record and RedeTV!
In 2002, also with Traffic, he went to Network Record, until he was hired in February 2003 by RedeTV!, to narrate the evidence of the old World Formula and present the TV Sport.
The program ended up being extinct and gave way to TV Sport News, presented by Fernando Vanucci and the then newcomer Renata Maranhão, replaced in June 2004 by Cláudia Barthel.
In September 2004, he gave up his place at the newspaper to Cristina Lyra. In the same month, she worked on coverage of Athens Paralympic Games. In November 2004, he started narrating matches for the Volleyball Super League.
Fernando Vanucci and Roberto Avallone
In February 2005, Fernando Vanucci began commanding the RedeTV! Sport, first next to Roberto Avallone and later with Cristina Lyra. He was also host of the sports debate program Ball in the net, on Sunday nights, and did the sports block on RedeTV! News.
In 2011, he left Rede TV, at the end of his contract and went to dedicate himself to his communications company. In August 2014, he joined the team at Brazilian Television Network, where he held the position of sports editor.
In 2018, he presented the program on the UOL portal “Russia is right there”, commenting on the news of the Brazilian team during the World cup that year.
Africa is right there
On July 9, 2006, Vannucci got sick in the air while presenting the program Bola na Rede on RedeTV!, broadcast after the 2006 World Cup final. It was on this occasion that he made an incoherent speech about expectations for the next World Cup, held in South Africa, and released the famous phrase “Africa is right there”.
According to the station's management, the discomfort was caused by the use of medications for treating anxiety disorders. At the time, the program was cut and the presenter was replaced by journalist Augusto Xavier. Until then, many people believed that the presenter had performed under the influence of alcohol.
Fernando Vanucci's explanation
In an interview with Veja magazine and other media outlets, he explained that he took 4 mg of the anxiolytic Lorax (lorazepam) after a family argument. Vannucci stated that at lunch, before the discussion, he took two glasses of wine, which may have enhanced the effect of the tranquilizer.
Another fact that made a difference was the internet. Vanucci's groggy video was viewed thousands of times. times in YouTube. It was removed at Vanucci's request, after being published as a mockery in a frame from the Pânico na TV program. But soon the video was back on the internet.
Health problems
In November 2006, Vannucci was hospitalized after accusing heart problems. After going through a catheterization and a angioplasty, recovered quickly.
However, in April 2019, the journalist suffered a heart attack, which required the placement of a pacemaker.
Em November 24th, 2020On Barueri, São Paulo, Fernando Vanucci suffered a new heart attack. He was rescued by an employee who worked at his home and taken to the Barueri Central Emergency Room, but did not survive and died, at 69 years of age.
Last Name
According to the Cognomix website, the surname Vanucci derives from similar names found since second half of the 1300s, like the name of the Sienese painter Francesco di Vannuccio.
This surname has Tuscan origin, with lineages also in the area of Rimini, province of Emilia Romagna and Lombardy.
There are approximately 93 Vanucci families in Italy, with a higher incidence in the following regions: Emilia-Romagna (77), Liguria (5) and Marche (3).
The Vanucci surname is 4037th in popularity in the Emilia-Romagna region, 417th in the province of Rimini and 145th most common in the city of Riccione, in Rimini.
FOLLOW-US
