Are there limits to humor? With comedian Luís Vieira, we learn that life is better lived laughing than fighting against the inevitable—death. We should use every situation that happens to us in life to laugh, and although we sometimes need to cry, it takes a lot of mental strength to make a joke when we're feeling down.
Luís Vieira is a comedian from Guimarães, known for tackling current and controversial topics with sharp humor. Currently, he hosts the official podcast of Vitória Sport Club, Dezanove22, where he interviews players and uses his humor to create a relaxed atmosphere, also showing his side as a Vitória fan. He has participated in Levanta-te e Ri, PI100Pé, and various shows, performing alongside comedians like Fernando Rocha, Alexandre Santos, and Eduardo Madeira. Luís also expresses a desire to collaborate with Bruno Nogueira.
With a career marked by perseverance and a passion for humor, Luís continues to leave his mark on Portuguese comedy, showing his ability to turn everyday moments into laughter
Inspired by Legends with Luís Vieira: Humor in Portuguese Football
Watch the podcast here
Miguel: If you believe in hugs, if you’re proud of where you come from, and if you think a team is much more than just colors, then this podcast is for you. My name is Miguel Soares, founder of BYMS, and I created this podcast, Inspired by Legends, to find and celebrate today’s legends.
My guest today is Luís Vieira, comedian from Guimarães and also a Vitória fan, who is a true inspiration to me and many others. Luís, how are you?
Luís: Miguel, how are you? First of all, I feel like you’re exaggerating—you started talking about legends and then introduced me.
Miguel: No, for heaven’s sake, to me, you’re a legend and an inspiration.
Luís: I’m very grateful, and I’ll congratulate you right away because we’ve already chatted a bit. I already knew you and your brand, and I’ll say it now, publicly, not off the record, that I congratulate you.
Thank you for the invitation and congratulations on your brand because it’s very important for people your age.
I’m old, I’m already 70, but for people your age to have their heads on straight and your perseverance, which is very important—you’re going strong, and that’s what matters.
Miguel: I’m really happy to hear that.
Luís: And it’s also a reason to be proud.
Miguel: People I listen to and follow, who I look up to, because it’s hard. I know it’s also difficult to expose our personal lives sometimes, and we hear comments that aren’t always the best, and I know that’s not easy.
Someone like you, who has achieved things that are truly impressive to me, it’s truly an honor to have you here.
Luís: Thank you so much.
Miguel: And for those who don’t know, Luís uses humor on social media to talk about various topics, some controversial, without taboos. He has participated in Levanta-te e Ri, PI100Pé, and is currently the host of the official podcast of Vitória Sport Club—not Vitória de Guimarães.
Luís: Exactly.
Miguel: The podcast Dezanove22, and he has several shows across the country. What am I going to ask you?
First, following our conversation, who has been the person who has inspired you the most up to now? It doesn’t have to be someone famous—who do you think has been that person, that ultimate example?
Luís: Well, the ultimate example, and this might sound politically correct, but I always say this and always talk about him. I’m talking about Fernando Rocha—he’s my boss, after all, right? I’m with his agency. But why do I talk about him?
Because I always say, and people who know me know this, I’m not the biggest fan of his type of humor, like joke-telling, but the man—no one can take that away from him, forget it.
But if I were to name someone whose humor I really like or is more similar to mine, I’d go for someone like Bruno Nogueira—I prefer that type of humor.
But in terms of work, inspiration, I have to mention Fernando Rocha because it’s not easy. If you’re in the north and you really want to make it and have success, it’s more complicated.
And it’s thanks to people like Fernando Rocha and others that people like me can get out there and, maybe even go on Levanta-te e Ri or other shows like PI100Pé, for example, which he created and gives space to many comedians to do what they love, with a lot of freedom, which is also important.
Miguel: That’s incredible. So, what characteristics of Fernando Rocha do you think make him so special to you and make him such an inspiration?
Luís: It’s his work ethic—it’s surreal. Imagine, he’s doing a hundred, and for me, a hundred is already good. But he’s not satisfied with a hundred—he wants two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, you know?
And that mindset he passes on to us, the people who are just starting out, taking our first steps, which compared to his career are just the very beginning.
And that’s what motivates us, and that’s how he motivates us, with that drive and his incredible work ethic.
Miguel: Exactly, I also love watching him, and I tell some of his jokes to my family too. He’s definitely one of the national references. Do you think he was the one who introduced you to comedy? Was it because of him that you started to have that little passion for humor, that little bug?
Luís: Yes, that little bug—I’ll give you an example. Do you know Tom Cavalcante? Probably not.
Miguel: No, I don’t.
Luís: Only the older generation knows him, like me, I’m 75. But there was a Brazilian show, Sai de Baixo, that used to air here in Portugal. And I loved it, I loved Tom Cavalcante, who played a character named Ribamar.
I loved it, you know, he imitated people and joked around, and it was basically a live comedy theater show with an audience. I loved it, and I feel like Tom Cavalcante was the one who sparked that little bug in me.
Then, of course, I started having other references, like Volante e Thierry, then Fernando Rocha, Hugo Sousa, Ricardo Araújo Pereira, and many others who also became influences for me, but I think Tom Cavalcante was the one who really awakened that bug.
Miguel: That’s funny, I wasn’t expecting that answer at all. I believe everyone has a funny side, but obviously, few people can turn that funny side into something professional.
Luís: More professional, yes.
Miguel: More professional, exactly. And when did you feel that? When did you feel that your funny side, that humor, you wanted to turn it into a profession, something more serious, and not just be funny for your friends, etc.?
Luís: It happened naturally. I’ve told this story before, and it’s funny because when I started doing this kind of thing, you know, stand-up—though it wasn’t pure stand-up—I started going to student association events.
The first invitation I got was from someone who is now one of my best friends, Paulo.
He, man, I don’t know, we’re here talking, and your name came up, I went, we went, people mentioned my name, bro, how cool. And at the time, he even said, “Hey, man, and I thought about the fee,” and I went. I didn’t know what to expect. At the time, I even thought I was exaggerating, like, 50 euros or something.
And he, man, it’s a deal, especially since back then there were agencies and stuff that sponsored all these things. And that’s how it went, I went and all that, I don’t know. Man, and I started to like it, like, “Hey, you went, it’s cool, bro, making people laugh like that.” Of course, it wasn’t pure stand-up, you know, because you’re talking, and there’s a guy playing the violin in the background, making noise, and people throwing candies at your forehead, and all that, but hey.
But then, that experience also gave me, and I believe this, it gave me other tools to start reaching bigger stages and more serious performances, let’s say.
Miguel: Yeah, yeah, it gave you a little boost back then, when you were younger. Oh, I see, I see. It’s said that… One of your comedy idols is Fernando Rocha. You participated in Levanta-te e Ri and PI100Pé, where you performed alongside iconic names in national comedy.
Luís: Yeah.
Miguel: How was that experience?
Luís: Man, it’s something… You know, sometimes, in the moment, I don’t even fully realize what’s happening to me, but then suddenly, imagine, for example, in the case of PI100Pé, let me explain that feeling.
Miguel: Sure, sure.
Luís: For example, with PI100Pé… PI100Pé, there in Via Rápida, had this huge poster in Guimarães, with Rocha, me, Dagu, and Fernando Madeira. Man, I’d walk by it, and I’d be like, “Wow…” Man, you feel a bit…
Miguel: A bit shaken up.
Luís: Yeah, a bit shaken up, like, “Wait, I’m actually up there.” Then comes the day of the performance, you’re there, tense, very nervous, very… I’m talking about myself, very nervous, the weight of responsibility, being next to them, and now, like, you have to be funny and all that, and I’d say…
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: But it’s really funny because then, you know, you’re at home, normal, just some guy at home, and then suddenly, you’re on those stages, man, and it’s cool. It’s good to feel important, you know?
Miguel: Exactly, because you’re there with hundreds of people who have expectations for you, for your work, who are there expecting to laugh, right? And sometimes, it’s not always easy to make someone laugh.
Luís: It’s really hard.
Miguel: Especially because someone might be having a bad day, and it’s tough.
Luís: Yeah.
Miguel: What I wanted to ask you… Yeah, it was… You’ve worked with a lot of big names, but is there someone you’d like to work with that you haven’t yet?
Luís: Man, I really like, I really like, I think it’s a pretty universal name in comedy, Bruno Nogueira.
Man, I think… Then, imagine, it’s also a name where, from the moment you start working with him, man, you’ve kind of made it in life, you know?
Miguel: No doubt, no doubt.
Luís: It’s like, man, suddenly, you start playing, I don’t know, with Ronaldo. I mean, Ronaldo, he’s in Arabia now, but still, okay, you’ve made it in life financially.
Miguel: But even so, Ronaldo was…
Luís: Exactly, exactly. You already knew you’d made it.
Miguel: Just hugging him.
Luís: No, but this is to say that really, man, when you start working with those names, it’s something…
In my case, I aspire to work with Bruno Nogueira, I don’t know, I really like Pedro Teixeira da Mota too, even though he’s maybe not as much on TV. Maybe he’s more for the younger generation, I don’t know, I’d say. But, maybe those names, you know, that make me think, “Wait, this…” I’m not saying, of course, that the names I’ve worked with…
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: I’m already very happy, man, but of course, it would be…
Miguel: Of course, you have your ambitions and people you identify with too.
Luís: Yeah, yeah.
Miguel: That would be incredible. I really like Bruno Nogueira too, and Pedro Teixeira da Mota as well. I follow his work, I think it’s really good, actually. In my opinion, the one I identify with the most, humor-wise, is Carlos Coutinho de Vilhena..
Luís: Him too, yeah, yeah.
Miguel: Because I think… Humor-wise, he’s great, but also in terms of ideas…
Luís: Yeah, producing series and stuff, man, the ideas he comes up with, how does he… It seems so easy, like, “This idea, I wouldn’t even think of it.”
Miguel: That’s it! Really cool.
Luís: Maybe you thought of it, but he…
Miguel: Executed it.
Luís: Executed it.
Miguel: Exactly. That’s it, and I really like him too.
Luís: He’s really good, no doubt.
Miguel: What was… You told me you get really nervous before, with that weight of responsibility.
Luís: Yeah.
Miguel: When you performed for the first time, how did… How did you feel before going on stage?
Luís: Look, the very first time, which was that one I mentioned for a student association, with my now-friend, I remember being really nervous, but I think it doesn’t compare to my nerves the first time I performed solo. That was in 2018, so I went to about four or five cities, ending in Guimarães, at São Mamede, but the first city was Fafe.
Man, I think I’ve never been so nervous in my life, I think that was the peak of my nervousness, it was surreal, because I’d never been alone on stage before. It was the first time, and on top of that, I didn’t want to think too much about it, but then I did.
I hadn’t tested the material anywhere, so I went with a script like, “Hey, whatever happens, happens.” You should never do that. And on top of that, being there for an hour with that material, man, it’s a bit risky. Some comedians do that, though…
Miguel: But…
Luís: They’re comedians who are at a much higher level than I was and am. Yeah, and they might have more comfort with the pressure, and I also have more experience now, but that first time was obviously… I always got better, it was always better to test a bit.
Luís: It would’ve helped.
Miguel: But it went well, right?
Luís: Yeah, it did. It went well, people liked it and loved it, but of course, you could tell the difference, for example, between those who saw me in Fafe, the first show, and those who saw me in Guimarães, the last one. There was a clear difference, you know, between testing the material and being comfortable with it. But that was definitely the performance where I was the most nervous—I even fainted.
Miguel: Really?
Luís: Yeah.
Miguel: And now, before going on stage, do you still feel that nervousness?
Luís: I do.
Miguel: Really? Now it’s smaller, obviously.
Luís: Smaller and a bit more controlled, but I always feel that pressure, like, someone might watch and not like it, or something might go wrong. Or, I don’t know, like, what if I forget my lines? Even though I have my notes, but still. Or what if something happens? I always think of the worst. I always think of the worst, yeah.
Miguel: And how do you deal with that pressure? Do you have any rituals before, like in the dressing room or…
Luís: The ritual is going to the bathroom. Going to the bathroom and letting it all out. That’s my ritual.
Miguel: I’m the same way.
Luís: I wish I could romanticize it a bit.
Miguel: Just a little, yeah.
Luís: But no.
Miguel: I say this because, for example, I play football, and when I step onto the field, it’s a bit of a ritual and superstition.
Luís: Yeah.
Miguel: I always try to step onto the field with my right foot first.
Luís: Okay. I, actually…
Miguel: Whether it works or not, I don’t know.
Luís: I, honestly, don’t even know how I step onto the stage. I don’t have any rituals. Sometimes, I’m just so nervous, you know, in that initial period. Then, by the end or halfway through, I start to enjoy it and really get into it. Like, “Wait, this is… Actually, we’re doing fine up here on stage.”
Miguel: We’re on the right track.
Luís: But before, before, I think of a thousand things. Why am I here? Why am I doing this, making these people laugh? I was at home, you know, with my quiet job, maybe from 9 to 10 PM or 9 to 7 PM, whatever. I was doing fine, and now I’m here.
Miguel: That’s it, but then it feels good, you step out of your world and think, “Man, this is rewarding.”
Luís: Then you realize, “Oh, this is actually cool. I don’t want to quit.”
Miguel: Exactly, I want to keep going, I want to keep going. And like we were saying earlier, receiving those supportive messages from people is super rewarding.
Luís: It’s really good.
Miguel: Did you give me some examples? I don’t know if you want to share some here.
Luís: I can share, and I’d even like to give a big hug to the people who… who follow my work because, as cliché as it sounds, it’s the truth. If it weren’t for those people, I’d just be talking to a mirror. But it’s the people, and sometimes I get more emotional. Of course, I’m not saying that people in Portugal don’t matter, no, I’m not saying that.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: I just want to say that the people who are farther away, who are alone in those moments and send me messages, like, “Hey, I’m here… I’m in France, I’m in Spain, sometimes spread across the world. I’m here, man, and you’re my thing, like, I’m having dinner and watching your lives, or listening to your podcast, or watching your videos and laughing, or I’m going through a tough time and your video…” Man, that’s really rewarding. Of course, money is nice, and thank goodness it exists to pay the bills.
Miguel: Exactly, exactly.
Luís: But that’s really rewarding.
Miguel: That’s what truly fills your heart, above all. If money weren’t necessary to pay the bills, that would be the best.
Luís: I’m speaking for myself, obviously. Sometimes people don’t realize how happy they make me with those messages. Because it’s not just about being humble, like, “Oh, how cool, I’m so humble.” It’s really true, I get it. The same people, man, sometimes send me messages like, “Hey, you probably won’t even see this.” Honestly, sometimes I don’t get to see everything, but when I do see those messages, man, I get really happy.
Miguel: But obviously, it can’t all be good. I also… unfortunately, I have an episode that happened to me when I was playing football. When I transferred to Vitória, I already had an injury, and then it dragged on longer than I wanted. Then the pandemic hit, there were salary cuts in the teams, and I suffered a bit from that too. That was the episode in my life that marked me the most. It left me psychologically shaken. I don’t know if it was depression or not because I never went to check. I tried to overcome it on my own.
But that’s what I wanted to ask you too—have you ever had a moment where you thought, “This isn’t for me, I want to quit because this isn’t it”? A moment that really brought you down?
Luís: Well, aside from more personal situations or things that happened in my life, there was one moment in my career that didn’t make me think, “I don’t want this,” but it made me reflect a bit. It was just a hint of… “Do they have a point?” It was when I went on Got Talent, and it wasn’t even about… I always tell this story and always clarify that I don’t want people to think I’m making excuses because I didn’t pass. No, I was really upset and sad because of how they edited it, man. They gave it a much more negative spin than what I actually did there.
It’s like, you know, if in this podcast you only showed me saying “Hi,” and then made it seem like I just went there to say “Hi,” like, “This guy is dumb.” Man, that really affected me, and I was a bit… I was really upset and even disappointed with the whole thing, and I felt like just giving up, you know? But I just wanted…
Miguel: Do you think that Got Talent episode had any impact on you, on the decisions you make today, or on how you do comedy?
Luís: Yes, it had an impact in the sense of making me more thoughtful about the things I get into. Because it was still an experience, and I always say, if it were today, I’d still go because it was a learning experience. But I learned, man. I learned to not care as much about what people say because, imagine, after that, there was a wave of people who already followed me or had those kinds of comments saying, “This guy isn’t worth it,” and then they actually saw my performance and said, “See, I was right, he’s not worth it.” And they all jumped on the bandwagon, so I learned to really not give it value.
Because sometimes it’s inevitable to care a little. I always say, it depends on the day, how you’re feeling, but now I’ve learned to not care as much about those kinds of comments. Like, it’s not Luís15_33 who’s going to dictate your career. It’s much more than that, man. It’s the people, it’s so many more people who will define you as a comedian. But of course, at the time, you’re sad and upset, and you start reading all that. I also had this stupid habit of reading everything and sometimes even responding. I wasn’t rude to anyone, I always tried to be ironic, but it was hard, man.
Miguel: Yeah, I totally get it. Because I also create… I also make videos on social media.
Luís: Yeah, I’ve seen some.
Miguel: And you’ve seen some, you follow me, and I have people who… I think they’re 30, 40 years old, who comment things like…
Luís: They should know better.
Miguel: Exactly! They should know better, and they comment things like, “I hope you go bankrupt,” and they’re saying that to a 20-year-old who’s…
Luís: Just starting out…
Miguel: And trying to make his way. I think it’s a bit unnecessary
Luís: It’s bad. You know, I think more and more that these are people who, imagine, I don’t know, I consider myself a happy person, with a family, stable, doing well. And I’m not going to bother, obviously, because I’m in a good place, a cool place. The people who are in a bad place, in a negative zone, with problems, I think those are the ones who really can’t find happiness in life and then seek out these kinds of things, you know? Because I really don’t know if that’s what fills them or if they think it’s what will fill them. Because, man, it’s not. But these are people who really have nothing going on in their heads. Why bother? You might not like me, I don’t like a lot of people either, I can joke about someone because it’s my job, okay, but I’m not going to bother, like, sitting at home sending a message like, “You should go bankrupt.”
Miguel: It doesn’t make much sense, and I don’t get it either. About your Got Talent audition, if you could go back in time, do you think you’d change anything?
Luís: Well, I think if I could change something, I don’t think I could change anything, you know? Like, my comedy, my type of humor, I don’t think it’s really that family-friendly humor, even though now I can adapt a bit to other styles.
But I think, I don’t know, for that kind of show, I don’t think it would ever work. I think even comedians who go there, really good comedians, who make it to the semifinals, it’s more of the same. Because it’s always about dancing, about singing. For example, I watch other formats, not the Portuguese one, because the Portuguese one, man, it’s just painful.
Miguel: Exactly! Of course.
Luís: I think it’s a bit of a tired format, honestly. That’s what I say—I watch other formats, and there are a thousand different things, and you have comedians even getting the golden buzzer. And then you say, “Oh, but the ones over there are good, that’s why they deserve the golden buzzer.” Maybe here we even have good comedians, but maybe they don’t even let them do comedy, for example. Over there, they have more freedom because here you’re more restricted. You can’t do this or that, and then you have to bless yourself before going on stage because it looks good, and they dress you in clothes you’re not used to, but it’s the outfit, and you lose a bit of your essence. And those are the things that, for me, make the format lose a bit.
Miguel: Exactly. I think when we look abroad, just compare the numbers they get on those shows and the numbers we get here, even though our population is smaller…
Luís: Yeah, yeah. But when it goes to YouTube or here in Portugal, it could have a lot of views if it were really good.
Miguel: Right, that’s it.
Luís: You have the example, I think it’s a good example, Fernando Daniel—his first audition blew everything up, man. You have people in Australia reacting to Fernando Daniel’s video.
Miguel: And he was later invited to sing with… I can’t remember her name now, an English singer, to do a duet with her on one of her songs.
Luís: The guy killed it, man. Because he was really good.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: In that format, the guy was really good. But here, I think they lose a bit because of that. They restrict a lot of people, and I think it’s always the same thing. I’m not saying they’re weak or anything, but I see incredible people in dance, in music, incredible people.
Miguel: But there could be more, maybe.
Luís: It’s always that, you know.
Miguel: And the people themselves…
Luís: It’s almost only that.
Miguel: The participants probably get tired of it and don’t even want to participate because they see it’s more of the same…
Luís: Exactly. I play the accordion, I’m really good, but maybe I’d go there, and it might not work out.
Miguel: It might not come across well, but then obviously there are also shows that are much better and that also serve to talk about serious issues through humor, which is something I really like, like The Daily Show in the US or É Gozar Com Quem Trabalha here in Portugal. What do you think about that kind of comedy, bringing humor to these more serious topics?
Luís: Man, I love it. I love it because, you know, and this is my very personal opinion—you asked me earlier about moments that affected me, and I mentioned Got Talent, but of course, I’ve always had… we have our lives as people, and the passing of my grandmother, for example, helped me realize and be sure that humor, you have your moments, you cry, you grieve, and that’s all fine, but humor—and I’m speaking very specifically about my case now—humor helped me a lot to get through that because it’s part of life. We have to accept it, and in my case, man, I really believe in facing it with humor, making jokes, laughing about it.
Miguel: I totally agree with you because sometimes, in those serious moments or when things seem sadder, it’s in those moments that I feel like I have to make a joke about the situation, or else I’ll completely break down.
Luís: That’s it, that’s it. I think humor frees you. First, I think it’s a sign of intelligence that you’ve managed to distance yourself from the negative thing and make a joke about it.
I really believe, especially after what happened to me, and before that, my grandmother had Alzheimer’s. She was really sick with Alzheimer’s. Making jokes about Alzheimer’s made it lighter because it’s a negative situation. If you cry every day…
Miguel: The situation will still be negative.
Luís: The situation will still be negative, but at least you laughed a little. That’s what I say—crying is good, it cleanses the soul. But it’s also cool to have those moments of joking about the illness, or joking about death, or joking about whatever you feel like.
Miguel: Exactly, I totally agree with you. Now, let’s move from these serious topics to humor linked to sports.
You’re now the official host of Vitória Sport Club’s podcast, Dezanove22. How did that invitation come about, and how did you feel when it happened? Because you’re a die-hard Vitória fan—I’ve seen you many times on TV, at the stadium, and I’ve even run into you at some games.
Luís: Well, not always.
Miguel: And how did you feel?
Luís: No outbursts or anything, I’m very calm, very relaxed, I don’t even swear.
Miguel: How did you feel when you got the invitation?
Luís: Look, first of all, being very honest, I can’t say it was an invitation.
Miguel: Okay.
Luís: Because I had been chasing this for a while, with other boards. Vitória has gone through bad periods where they really didn’t have much to work with, and I even had some friends working in Vitória’s marketing who told me, “Luís, we’d love to do this, but there’s no money for it, so it’s on hold for now, just keep trying.” But this current board was more open, not just to dialogue, but I think they were already more open to the idea of doing something with me. It wasn’t a direct invitation, it was more like…
Miguel: Of course.
Luís: I was pushing a bit, trying to steer things in our direction.
Miguel: Of course, you have to.
Luís: And then it happened. I was super nervous because, first, I thought, “Okay, I sent it, I tried, but they’ll probably just leave it hanging again.” But they said, “No, this is serious now,” and they started showing me the setup. I thought, “Wait, they’re showing me the setup.”
Miguel: This is really happening.
Luís: This is really happening. Even so, they showed me the setup, and I thought, “This could be for another show.”
Miguel: Oh, exactly
Luís: Later, when it actually started happening and I recorded the first episode with Varela, it was incredible, and it has been incredible. Meeting people who are idols to me, people I cheer for at the stadium and on TV when I can’t go watch them, you know? But it’s a huge honor because, in a way, I also represent the fans and what they might want to know about. I mean, I represent them because I am one, right?
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: And sometimes I even forget that I’m a fan. I forget more the opposite—that I’m now someone with a bit of influence in the structure. Exactly, someone with added responsibility. And sometimes at the stadium, you forget and just…
Miguel: You’re already jumping and climbing walls.
Luís: Climbing the walls.
Miguel: But that’s really good because, back in the day, there was very little personal connection between players and fans.
Luís: Yes, absolutely.
Miguel: And I think that connection needs to exist because everyone benefits from getting to know the person better. Obviously, if I know you better and have a personal connection with you, then if I’m at the stadium or someone else is, they won’t say the things they might otherwise say, you know?
Luís: Yes, yes.
Miguel: Because they identify more with that person. Do you think this personal connection between athletes and fans needs to keep being developed?
Luís: Yes.
Miguel: Because it’s important.
Luís: Very important, and we’re on the right path, I always say this. But I feel like there’s still work to do. As fans, as a collective, we need to understand that, hey, clubs, players—it’s cool to have some banter, exchange some jabs. But people mix everything up, start insulting each other, and don’t know how to separate things. Football is something that gets you fired up…
I get it because, you know, I’m also a fan, and I’m at the stadium. Sometimes you boil over. It’s so cool when you see, for example, in Germany or England, clubs joking with each other. A team loses 5-0 and gives a little clap, and the other team acknowledges it. But here? People start trashing each other, saying, “You got what you deserved,” and it’s like, “Calm down, they’re just having fun.” Even the players, if they have an opinion, they can’t express it. You can’t, you’re a player, you can’t have an opinion. You have to be a robot out there, just kicking the ball…
Miguel: Kicking the ball around.
Luís: And if you speak up, it’s like, “Oh, that player loves talking about politics.” Well, that’s just how it is. If he likes talking about politics, let him talk. It’s not like he’s doing anything worse. There are players doing much worse things.
Miguel: Much worse.
Luís: But we’re not going to talk about that.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: Much worse, and they’re walking free. But we’re not going to talk about that.
Miguel: We’re not going to talk about that. Better not.
Luís: Better not talk about that. But, you know, these are normal things, and it’s good that they talk about them because it shows they’re not robots and that they care about these issues.
Miguel: And they even have a voice—or should have an active voice—because they’re known by so many people…
Luís: Exactly.
Miguel: And they can change mindsets. It has to come from them too because, you know, there are many kids and young people…
Luís: Who look up to them.
Miguel: Who follow them and…
Luís: And see them as idols. So, if my idol says something is right, maybe I’ll think it’s right too. Why not use players for these kinds of things? To raise awareness for certain causes, for example. And sometimes it makes me sad because people… I think we’re getting there, but we still need to evolve a bit more.
Miguel: Exactly, I agree. But that’s why I admire you so much. You’re bringing out the more human side of the players, and not many people do that, especially in Portugal. Abroad, it’s more common.
Luís: Abroad, they’ve been doing it for a while.
Miguel: And they watch the podcasts, laugh, and can have more fun with it.
Luís: That’s it.
Miguel: Here, it always has to go through communication directors and all that.
Luís: Yes, it’s more complicated.
Miguel: And it becomes a bit boring.
Luís: Sometimes I even want to involve other clubs and do more dynamic things, but it’s difficult. Because if it’s not the club, it’s the agent, or if it’s not the agent, it’s someone else. There’s always someone saying, “But that’s not how it’s done.”
Miguel: Yeah, that’s it.
Luís: That’s the block.
Miguel: I think… that’s why we created this podcast with the intention of not just bringing people from Guimarães. Since we’re not tied to any structure, we can bring anyone we want.
Luís: Yes, yes, that’s good.
Miguel: And we want to show that football isn’t just about club rivalries—that I’m Benfica, someone else is Sporting, another is Porto. We can all coexist, interact, and don’t need to be fighting all the time.
Luís: Yes, they can talk. I think some people have a hard time understanding that, no matter how much I argue, you’re not going to stop supporting your club. Imagine someone saying, “Hey, that was offside.” And you’re like, “You’re right.” Or, “Vitória is worthless.” And you’re like, “Yeah, I’ll stop being a member.” Of course, that’s not going to happen.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: I think arguments are fine, and it’s good to discuss whether it was offside or not. That’s part of football; it’s beautiful. But when you start insulting someone because they support another club or because they think Cristiano Ronaldo should have scored that goal or should play as a striker or left-back… Come on, it’s just their opinion. Calling someone stupid? Calm down.
Miguel: Exactly. I respect your opinion, even if I don’t agree. We’re still friends, we’ll watch a game together, have a beer, and move on.
Luís: That’s it, exactly.
Miguel: Do you have any funny moments at the stadium or in football? Any amusing stories you can share?
Luís: I do, I do. I’ve told this one before, but it’s better to share this one because it’s lighthearted. Well, not entirely lighthearted. It was a while ago, but I already had some visibility. I got a bit excited at the stadium, went home, everything was fine. Then I got a message from a kid—I think it was on Facebook at the time—and he said, “Hey, I saw you at the stadium. You were spitting at the league official.” And I was like, “Oh no, what a shame.” I felt so embarrassed.
Miguel: Well, that’s…
Luís: I wanted to say, “That wasn’t me.” But yeah, imagine if it was caught on camera or something. I was so ashamed.
Miguel: I get it. Sometimes…
Luís: No, you can’t let yourself get carried away for so many minutes.
Miguel: Exactly, exactly, exactly. It’s complicated. You’re there boiling, but…
Luís: It’s complicated.
Miguel: It’s complicated.
Luís: This line has to be, you know, one insults the other, like, the most basic stuff—your mom this, your mom that. You know, it’s even a bit of an outlet, you know?
Miguel: And it’s another thing that’s funny, for example, since you’re so connected to football—I go to the stadium, I play football, and I get insulted. And I see people insulting others, and I feel like the insults are always the same.
Luís: Always.
Miguel: Why don’t you create a workshop or something…
Luís: About insults.
Miguel: About insults, and start teaching people how to insult in a funnier way, because it’s always the same thing.
Luís: Actually…
Miguel: It’s always the same.
Luís: I can even tell you this—I have a friend who usually watches football in the same spot as me. That guy I told you about, Paulo, the one from the list who invited me…
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: And we have this thing now, you know, of going to the bar and trading insults. There was this game against Benfica, and he’s not playing anymore, so I can talk about it, and he even laughed. This is true, he laughed because the insults were something he probably wasn’t expecting.
He was a bit chubby at the time, Eliseu. We started throwing those insults, like, “The fat guy is in goal,” and “You’ve got a backpack in front.” The thing is, he laughed because he was probably used to the usual “your mom this, your mom that,” and suddenly here was something different.
But there are some, and I can’t remember them now, but in that stand, especially where I sit, sometimes there are insults, mostly from older guys. I’ve thought, this guy should teach a course on insults. He’s moved beyond the usual “your mom this, your mom that.” No, these were really original insults.
Miguel: Really original. Some are just so original, and I’m like, how did this guy even come up with that? It’s really something.
Luís: It’s funny.
Miguel: And it is, but it’s also part of the fun, you know? We all laugh a bit at it because there are a lot of people who spend the whole week waiting for the game just to…
Luís: Yeah, I get it, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Miguel: Because they really live for the sport.
Luís: And they live it intensely, you know? I don’t want to be misunderstood, but imagine, that’s the highlight of someone’s week.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: I’m talking, but… I’m sorry, I’m talking, but imagine, I don’t know, whatever, and then the game comes, they win, and the week just gets so much better.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: If they lose, oh no. The week is already tough, the pressure is there on Monday, Tuesday, I don’t know.
Miguel: It’s harder, much harder.
Luís: It’s harder to get through. But, you know, without humor, it wouldn’t be as fun. Do you think your life without humor would be…
Luís: No, it wouldn’t be fun at all. I like it because the people I surround myself with—my family, I didn’t choose them, right? But my girlfriend… it wasn’t really a choice, it was almost an obligation. No, I’m joking.
Miguel: An obligation? Don’t say that!
Luís: I’m joking, I’m joking! No, all the people around me are also very humorous, because I make sure of it. It doesn’t make sense any other way.
I don’t like and don’t identify with people who are always negative. Like, it’s raining, and they’re like, “This sucks.” There’s always someone worse off than us, you know? You have a house, you’re fine, you’re healthy, everything’s going well.
Miguel: You have a house, a family…
Luís: Everything’s going well.
Miguel: You have food.
Luís: Exactly. Of course, I’m talking, but there are days when you feel really sad, and that’s okay. But we always have to put things into perspective and say, there’s always someone worse off than us.
Miguel: Exactly, because obviously, there are always people worse off than us.
Luís: Always.
Miguel: But obviously, we also have our ambitions.
Luís: Of course, and that’s normal.
Miguel: And sometimes we get sad when we don’t achieve them.
Luís: It’s perfectly normal.
Miguel: But I also live a bit like you—there are a lot of people who are really struggling. And we’re lucky, we have a house, shelter, a family that loves us, food. I think that’s the most important thing.
Luís: Yes, yes.
Miguel: The rest, if it comes, it’s through our work.
Luís: Exactly.
Miguel: It’s through our work, no doubt. You told a story about your grandmother and her Alzheimer’s, and how you made jokes about it. Can you laugh at yourself when negative comments come your way? Can you laugh at yourself?
Luís: Imagine, it’s strange to say this, but I notice, I notice a bit, and I don’t know if it’s a talent I have—it’s not really a talent—but I notice it. For example, when my grandmother’s situation happened, I made jokes, some people made jokes, and I laughed. But sometimes I felt like some people weren’t really joking, you know? It was a bit disguised, like they wanted to dig at me. I noticed that. But I’m totally fine with it.
And when it comes to jokes or comments about me, it’s different. Comments, you know, if they make comments about me, I’m like, “Bro, it is what it is.” I know I’m here, I’m making videos.
But when they start trying to insult my family or go after other people, that’s where I lose my filter. I should have more filter, but I don’t, because it really touches me, you know? It’s my family, my girlfriend, or my close friends. That’s when I get more tense because they’re not the ones out there, you know? They didn’t make the joke, they didn’t do anything. There’s no need to go there. And sometimes people do, and that’s when I get a bit more worked up. But when it’s about me, it is what it is.
Miguel: Exactly, you can handle it…
Luís: We have to expect it, we have to expect it because…
Miguel: Exactly, because we also… Sometimes people complain about comments they don’t like on the internet, right? The truth is, we expose our lives online, so we’re subject to people commenting. We might not agree, but…
Luís: Yes, yes.
Miguel: Obviously, just because we expose our work, it doesn’t give anyone the right to comment nonsense. If it’s constructive criticism, like, “You could improve this,” then we even appreciate it because…
Luís: I post a photo, and someone comments, “You’re ugly, bro.” Yeah, okay, but…
Miguel: No one asked you. Why am I…
Luís: My mom says I’m handsome, what’s the problem? That’s it.
Miguel: My girlfriend, you know, I have a girlfriend.
Luís: Exactly, I have a girlfriend, let’s end this.
Miguel: My mom says I look good.
Luís: Exactly.
Miguel: Why are you saying mean things?
Luís: Sometimes I even think about that, like, why? Why did you feel the need to comment this? No one asked for your opinion. There are comments I understand, like, “Hey, you talked about the podcast, I’m paying attention, and I like seeing comments like, ‘You talked too much here,’ or ‘You could improve this or that.’” Perfect. That’s it, let’s take these comments and grow. But when it’s just, “You’re stupid,” okay, but why? Explain to me why I’m stupid.
Miguel: At least explain why I’m stupid.
Luís: Imagine if they said, “You’re stupid because you failed this math problem.” I’d accept it, I’m bad at math, fine, you’re right.
Miguel: But just saying…
Luís: Just saying, “You’re stupid,” bro, you’ve got to give me more. You’ve got to give me more.
Miguel: Otherwise…
Luís: I can’t grow from that.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: I can laugh at the comment, but I can’t grow from it.
Miguel: And I can see that your mental strength is well-developed.
Luís: I say this confidently because I have a good support system. When you don’t have that, it’s complicated. If you’re alone with your problems, you don’t have…
Imagine someone tells me, “You’re stupid.” I’d even joke about it. I’d look at my girlfriend and say, “Hey, I’m stupid, you can’t take this seriously.” And she’d say, “You’re not stupid, you’re this and that.” Well, maybe my girlfriend would say, “You are stupid.”
Miguel: You are stupid, no doubt.
Luís: No, I’m joking. But you know what I mean? When you have a support system—parents, friends—it’s easier. But when you don’t have that, it’s harder. The secret, I think, is really trying not to care, because it’s tough. At first, you won’t be able to do it. At first, you’ll read everything and care about it. But then, as you grow, you start to care less. Sometimes there are days when you’re more sensitive, and you might think, “Am I really stupid?”
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: But then you start to distance yourself more and more, and you reach a point where you’re like, “I’m not stupid at all. This guy is the stupid one for wasting his time commenting.”
Miguel: He’s the one wasting his time.
Luís: But I think the best advice is really to try not to care about those kinds of comments. Focus only on the ones that say, “Hey, I don’t think you’re stupid, but you could improve this or that.” And you’re like, “Okay, that’s fair, I can grow from this comment.”
Miguel: Exactly. When I was starting out, I was lucky to have a strong support system from family and friends. I’d take screenshots of the comments and send them to my WhatsApp group, and we’d all laugh about it.
Luís: That’s the best. Making fun of the comment.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: Because, usually, they can’t even write properly. I don’t know where they get their “hater degree,” but if you’re going to insult me, at least do it right.
Miguel: You can’t call me a hater.
Luís: You’ve got to give it your all. Just the other day on Twitter, some guy called me “big-headed,” but he spelled it wrong. Instead of “cabeçudo,” he wrote “cabecudo.” There are mistakes I can let slide, but if you’re going to insult me, at least do it properly.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: You can’t call me “cabecudo,” bro.
Miguel: Because if I want to clap back at you, it’s easy.
Luís: It’s easy.
Miguel: You can’t even spell.
Luís: Exactly. Bro, go back to school.
Miguel: Go back to school, exactly. Now, complete this sentence for me: Football or comedy?
Luís: Oh, comedy.
Miguel: Comedy. Exactly.
Luís: It’s my life.
Miguel: It’s your professional life, exactly.
Luís: I have to say comedy. I have to say comedy. I have to say comedy.
Miguel: But if you didn’t depend on comedy for your career, imagine that. Would you rather never watch a Vitória game again or never perform on stage again?
Luís: That’s tough because, knowing myself, even if I didn’t depend on performances—imagine I’m really well-off financially and don’t care about performing—there’s something I love so much about it. But I also love watching Vitória games, obviously. It’s really hard. I don’t think I could choose because they’re both…
Miguel: They’re both really hard to choose between.
Luís: They’re really hard to choose between. The thing is, comedy is my bread and butter right now. Exactly. And Vitória is also kind of my bread and butter now.
Miguel: Kind of, yeah.
Luís: But watching the games isn’t, you know, I don’t get paid to watch the games.
Miguel: That would be too much.
Luís: If it ever gets to that point… No, actually, I don’t think I’d like that. I think it would take away from the experience a bit.
Miguel: Exactly.
Luís: You know, being present at the stadium, I think it would lose something.
Miguel: It would lose some of the love and passion.
Luís: I think football is already becoming more of a…
Miguel: A spectacle.
Luís: It’s inevitable, okay? The money, the agents, all of that, it’s inevitable. But there are super leagues in Japan, but…
Miguel: Do you think… I think we’ve lost some of the passion… And I think football in its purest form is already gone…
Luís: Unfortunately, yes.
Miguel: Back in the 70s, 80s, or 90s…
Luís: A guy with a drum, another guy drinking a beer, someone with an umbrella, another smoking a cigar, you know? They’re there, they’re… I don’t know, the flags, everyone happy, I think that’s the purest form of football. Of course, there are people who… No, no, football is beautiful like that, everyone sitting quietly and…
Miguel: But I think most people share the same opinion, and, you know, most people kind of agree with us.
Luís: Yes.
Miguel: I think… you know, I think the purest form of football is hard to find in the top divisions now, but in district football…
Luís: That’s it.
Miguel: You find that…
Luís: That’s what’s beautiful.
Miguel: Exactly, that’s what’s beautiful. You find that love…
Luís: With that guy with a beer belly…
Miguel: With that guy grabbing a bifana (pork sandwich) and a beer at halftime…
Luís: Exactly, exactly.
Miguel: And insulting the linesman…
Luís: Him all red-faced, insulting the linesman because he almost had a heart attack…
Miguel: On the wall, exactly. And you… you see those people who pay to watch a club that’s not in the top division…
Luís: Playing on a dirt field, my goodness.
Miguel: Playing on a dirt field, and they’re there supporting the club, and that’s it. I think that’s football in its purest form.
Luís: That’s football. I think we’ve lost a bit of that, unfortunately. I think, you know, it won’t be long before… well, to each their own, and of course, there are people who enjoy watching football sitting down, especially when it’s raining a lot. Sometimes I like to go there, you know…
Miguel: To the little seat.
Luís: To the little seat and all, I’m comfortable. But, I don’t know, I think it’s so beautiful when you’re there jumping around, in the rain, everyone together… Suddenly you’re there, like, washing yourself with beer, I don’t know, it’s just emotion, isn’t it?
Miguel: It’s emotion, pure emotion, exactly. Ah, Luís, thank you so much for this incredible moment.
Luís: Thank you.
Miguel: I deeply appreciate you accepting this invitation.
Luís: Thank you so much for the invitation. It was a pleasure.
Miguel: The pleasure was all mine. Thank you so much. And to all of you, get ready for the next episode of Inspired by Legends. We guarantee it’ll be as exciting as this one.
Big hug. Thank you
Making people laugh is an art, and it doesn’t always please everyone. We’ve learned from Luís Vieira that life is more fun when we laugh. Humor is a powerful tool and, often, an escape. When we’re feeling down, it helps us cope with grief and turn tense moments into laughter. In this episode, we learned to laugh at ourselves and saw a more vulnerable side of both Miguel Soares and Luís Vieira.
Let yourself be inspired and entertained by Luís Vieira’s stories, where we discovered that humor can help us achieve personal and social transformation. Subscribe to our podcast Inspired by Legends so you don’t miss any episodes.
Remember, life feels lighter when lived with a smile.