Known to be very keen in leading, the people from São Paulo are commonly referred to as the Paulistanos. With this unique character, it is actually not a wonder why many of the Paulistanos have made it big not just throughout Brazil but around the world as well, especially in the world of sports.

 

In the world of race car, São Paulo is home to many famous race drivers. Among them are Felipe Masa who races for the team of Ferrari; Hélio Castroneves driving in the Penske Racing; Emerson Fittipaldi who bagged championships in CART and the famous Formula One; Rubens Gonçalves “Rubinho” Barrichello of the Brawn GP team; and Ayrton Senna da Silva who after dying in an accident was considered the “most skilled” motor racer.

 

In basketball, Leandro Mateus Barbosa and Nenê both play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets, respectively.

 

Fernando Ariel Meligeni and Johan Pineda on the other hand, made their names in the sport of tennis, while Éder Jofre became known in the boxing ring being a former champion in the bantamweight and featherweight.

 

The Paulistanos may seem to have made their marks in various sports, but this is just one aspect that São Paulo’s people are known at.