Pato Moure: “That tribute from the Curva Sud was an amazing feeling”

Roma Gol! was recorded during the season of Roma’s second Scudetto and is a key part of the Giallorossi discography. Its author was the unforgettable radio commentator Alberto Mandolesi. The singer was Pato Moure, who is 76 years old now and works for a radio station in Porto Alegre.

His story is intertwined with that of Paulo Roberto Falcao, with whom he first arrived in Italy. Pato has returned to Brazil. But he still cherishes Roma in his heart.

Here is what he said to  asroma.com one day after the derby!

You didn’t know about the tifo before the match?

“No, I had no idea.”

So you saw it live.

“I got a message from a friend who is a Roma fan and lives in Sao Paulo. He said: Look at what the Curva Sud did.”

Right, because it was 7:30 in the morning in Porto Alegre; you were probably sleeping, right?

“No! I’d just finished watching the match! Are you mad? I never miss a Roma match!”

So you just didn’t notice the tifo.

“That’s right. I’d watched the whole match, of course. At seven thirty in the morning… I woke up and watched it. I never miss a Roma match. I can go without eating if that’s what it takes, as Roma means everything to me. When we lose, the people I work with at the radio station in Porto Alegre (Radio Grenal, author’s note) make fun of me, so I get angry. I won’t tolerate anyone criticising my team. The other day my son said to me: Dad, after three heart attacks I’m starting to think that you should probably stop watching Roma matches, otherwise you’ll have a fourth one.”

What did you feel?

“It was a great, overwhelming feeling. I told myself: I can’t believe that someone still remembers me. Such a reward, such a kind act, such a gift: it was truly extraordinary. A magical Curva dedicated something to me. I’ve always loved it, there is no better Curva anywhere else in the world. I was moved. It felt like a dream come true.”

What’s the story behind that song?

“As a joke. A very clever record producer realised that Roma were about to win the Scudetto (1982/83 season, author’s note) and asked me and Alberto Mandolesi if we wanted to make a parody of Pippo Franco’s song Chi chi chi co co co, which was number one on the charts. I thought he was mad: I’d never sung before in my life. But he explained to me that they could adjust the sound, so it wasn’t going to be a problem. Alberto would write the lyrics. I thought that only my family would buy the record. Instead, over 40 thousand copies were sold. It was a huge success.”

Did you expect that 42 years on that song would be included in a tifo of the Curva Sud?

“Not really, even though at the time, as I was saying, it was a huge success. They played it on the radio all the time.”

You recorded a song in the season of the second Scudetto and  one after the third. If Roma won a fourth, would you record a fourth song dedicated to Roma from Brazil?

“Absolutely, right away! I would do anything for Roma. I love my team. Everyone in Rome was always very kind to me: it felt as though I was born there. I’d write 40 different songs about Rome and Roma. Can I ask you for one last favour?”

Of course.

“I’d like to say a few words about Alberto Mandolesi: we were always together. He was like a brother to me. Had it not been for him, if he hadn’t written those lyrics, we would’ve never had Roma Gol!.”