Paulo Soares, ‘Amigão’, Dies at 63 Years Old

by Jonathan Dubinski September 30, 2025

written by Jonathan Dubinski September 30, 2025

Key Takeaways

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Paulo Soares, affectionately known as Amigão, was a significant figure in Brazilian sports journalism who brought a relaxed and humorous style to television broadcasting.
He spent two decades at ESPN Brazil, hosting SportsCenter and becoming a foundational presence in the network.
Soares memorable laughter over a phonetic similarity of Milton Lezamas surname to a common expletive is an iconic moment in Brazilian television history.
Both Paulo Soares and his colleague Antero Greco, who passed away last year, left a lasting impact on the world of sports journalism in Brazil.

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Remembered Sports Journalist Paulo Soares, “Amigão,” Leaves a Lasting Impact on Brazilian TV

Paulo Soares, a prominent figure in sports journalism, passed away on Monday, the 29th. He had battled a long illness for years and spent five months at Sirio Libanes Hospital prior to his death. Affectionately known as “Amigão” or “The Crew’s Friend,” Soares was a dominant voice in television sports broadcasting. His relaxed style and sharp sense of humor transformed sports coverage, moving away from overly formal presentations. For two decades, in addition to hosting SportsCenter, Paulo Soares was a foundational presence at ESPN Brazil. A memorable example of his style occurred in 2016. While discussing São Paulo’s next signing with colleague Antero Greco, Paulo famously laughed at the phonetic similarity of Milton Lezama’s surname to a common expletive. Although Lezama never played for São Paulo FC, Amigão’s laughter remains an iconic moment in Brazilian television history. This anecdote carries added poignancy as both Soares and Greco are no longer with us; Greco himself passed away last year after battling brain cancer.

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