Mário Moniz Pereira (February 11, 1921 – July 31, 2016) was a teacher, sportsman, athlete, coach, songwriter and sports director.
[10] Moniz Pereira's maternal grandfather was the owner of Central Cinema in Avenida da Liberdade where he used to spend some of his time watching movies including musicals.
[16] Moniz Pereira would become technical director of the Portuguese Athletics Federation and vice president of the entire sports club as well.
[22] After that he returned to Sporting CP's athletics department in Lisbon and, starting in 1967,[23] became the only coach for Carlos Lopes who would win three World Cross Country Championships as well as the first Olympic gold medal ever for Portugal, competing in the marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
[27][28][29][15] Throughout his life, as a poet and songwriter, he was the author and composer of fados sung by famous Portuguese fadistas (fado singers) and other singers, like Amália Rodrigues, Lucília do Carmo, João Braga, Maria da Fé, Rodrigo, Carlos do Carmo, Tony de Matos, Fernando Tordo, Paulo de Carvalho and Camané, with songs like Valeu a Pena, Fado Varina, Rosa da Madragoa, Rosa da Noite, Não me Conformo, Leio em teus Olhos, among many others.