Joao Alves Pereira: The centenarian superfan who is older than his favourite club, Corinthians

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Meet the OAP football superfan who at 114 years old is older than his favourite team.

Joao Alves Pereira was born on January 7, 1910, while his favourite team, Corinthians, was founded on September 1 the same year - making him a few months older.

Joao, from Sao Bernardo, near Sao Paulo, in Brazil, is of sound mind despite his old age and loves telling his family stories about all the challenges he has faced.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He lost his father as a young boy and ran away from home where he lived with his abusive grandmother at just nine years old. He started working in a bakery, but got beaten by his boss for making a mistake and he quit the next day.

Joao said: "The next day, I left and started working on my own."

Joao Alves Pereira, 114. The Brazilian is older than his favourite club, CorinthiansJoao Alves Pereira, 114. The Brazilian is older than his favourite club, Corinthians
Joao Alves Pereira, 114. The Brazilian is older than his favourite club, Corinthians | NF/newsX

Joao said that the most special day of his life was when he met his wife a few years later.

When he was returning home from work one day, he caught the attention of a young woman who saw him passing by.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: "I walked by naked from the waist up, with a hatchet on my back. The girl asked her father who I was, and he replied: 'He’s the work boss, the greatest man in the company.' A few days later, she started dating me. I was happy, everything bad was over."

Even at 114 years old, Joao remains young at heart.

He loves listening to the radio and, especially, watching Corinthians games, his favourite team.

He said: "I like every game, but the best is Corinthians."

At 114 years old, Joao is very close to being the oldest person in Brazil.

The title currently belongs to a 116-year-old woman, who lives in Porto Alegre, in Rio Grande do Sul, according to local media reports, although neither have officially entered record books.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Joao has witnessed major events in Brazil and around the world. He lived through the First and the Second World War, witnessed the arrival of radio and television in the country, and also followed the military coup of 1964.

When asked about the secret to living so long and with such vitality, Joao says: “It’s my family. My granddaughter, my children, they give me health, food and take me everywhere.”

He also appreciates the recognition of being the oldest resident in the region, something that fills him with pride.

Story: NewsX

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Telling news your way
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice