Our people

Founding group and early leadership · Founding and early years

José Maria Fratuchelli was part of the group that established Operário FC Ltda. in 2002. Reports from the early years describe him as an owner and supervisor.

Founding group and early leadership · Founding and early years

Alceu Provatti is associated with the formation and early leadership of Operário FC Ltda. A retrospective about the name change identifies him among the founders, while a 2005 report records his involvement in running the club during its first years.

Early partner · Early years

Known as Carlão Catiste, Carlos Catiste appears in a January 2005 report as José Maria Fratuchelli’s partner and a participant in establishing OFC.

President · 2005–2006

Wendel Rodrigues was president during the club’s 2005 Copa Governador and 2006 Mato Grosso state championship victories. His administration was also linked to the 2006 national Série C campaign.

Owner and president · 2010s

Sebastião Viana acquired Operário FC Ltda. in 2011 and led the institution for a significant part of the decade. In 2019, he formally remained president while Éder Moraes ran the club’s management.

President and partner · 2007

Maninho de Barros is recorded as president and a partner of Operário FC Ltda. in 2007. His involvement belongs to the administrative period following the 2005 and 2006 title-winning cycle.

Partner and director · 2006–2007

João José de Barros took part in the administrative transition from 2006 to 2007. He appears as a partner and vice-president in the leadership structure published during that period of Operário FC Ltda.

Football company partner · 2007

Dudu Campos was part of the group of partners of Operário FC Ltda. identified by the press in 2007. His involvement forms part of the administrative changes of the football company’s early years.

Director and management lead · 2019

In 2019, Éder Moraes served as director and the main person responsible for running Operário FC Ltda., while Sebastião Viana formally remained president. Reports from that period record his involvement in attracting sponsors, renovating the Carrapicho training centre and appointing the coaching staff.

Coach · 2003 Copa do Brasil

Gilmar Ferreira coached Operário in the 2003 Copa do Brasil, when the club faced Palmeiras. Reporting from the first leg at Verdão records his assessment of the team’s performance and preparations for the return match in São Paulo.

Carlos Henrique Pedroso · coach · 2005 Copa Governador

Carlos Henrique Pedroso, known as Mosca, coached Operário to the 2005 Copa Governador title. He also began the 2006 Mato Grosso state championship campaign before Carlos Rufino arrived.

State championship-winning coach · 2006

Carlos Rufino coached Operário to the 2006 Mato Grosso state championship. Against Barra do Garças in the final, the team won the first leg 2–0 and secured the trophy by coming from behind to win 2–1 at Zeca Costa.

Goalkeeper and captain · 2005 and 2006 title-winning teams

Ernandes Pantaneiro was Operário’s goalkeeper during the title-winning years of 2005 and 2006. Before the 2006 state final, the press described him as the team’s captain and leader.

Forward and leading scorer · 2005–2006

Rinaldo was a leading scorer in the Mato Grosso state championship in 2005 with 16 goals, and again in 2006 with 14. In the second leg of the 2006 final, he scored the winner in the 2–1 victory over Barra do Garças.

State final protagonist · 2006

Wender scored both goals in the 2–0 victory over Barra do Garças in the first leg of the 2006 state final. Both finishes were headers and gave Operário an important advantage for the return match.

Championship-winning midfielder · 2006

Odil scored the equaliser in the second leg of the 2006 state final at Zeca Costa. His finish opened the way for the 2–1 comeback victory over Barra do Garças and Operário’s title.

Championship-winning full-back · 2005 Copa Governador

Fabiano scored the goal that made it 2–2 against Mixto in the second leg of the 2005 Copa Governador final. Having won the first leg, Operário secured the title with that result.

Development and international career · Operário in 2009–2010

Natanael began his professional career with Operário, with a documented spell in 2009 and 2010 and development linked to Búfalo Escola de Futebol. He later played for Cuiabá, Athletico, Ludogorets and Internacional.

Coach of the return to the top flight · 2015–2016

Alessandro Santos coached Operário during the 2015 Second Division title-winning campaign and remained in charge for the 2016 return to the top flight. His spell is linked to a period of rebuilding the senior team.

Championship-winning midfielder · 2018 Second Division

Fernando was one of the protagonists of the 2018 state Second Division. On 28 July, he scored twice in the 3–2 victory over Cacerense that secured the title for Operário FC Ltda.

Championship-winning forward · 2018 Second Division

Pelézinho scored in the victory over Juara and in the 3–2 win against Cacerense that secured the 2018 Second Division title.

Title-winning Under-17 player · 2023

Vitor Lima scored in the 1–0 victory over Cuiabá in the second leg of the 2023 Mato Grosso Under-17 final. The result levelled the tie and took the final to penalties, which Operário won 3–2.

Academy and senior team coach · Academy and 2025 promotion

Rodolfo Kupper connects the academy’s work to the senior team. After working in the club’s youth development for years, he coached the campaign that took Operário to the Second Division final and promotion in 2025.

Elair Dias Brito · director and supporter · 2018–2019 generation

Elair Dias Brito, known as Dona Juju, helped keep Operário’s women’s football active using her own resources to support players’ food, transport and accommodation. Her involvement was linked to the period of the 2018 and 2019 state title victories.

Back-to-back state title-winning coach · 2018–2019

César Fuscão coached Operário FC Ltda. to the women’s state titles in 2018 and 2019. Those consecutive championships marked an important generation of the club’s women’s football and secured Mato Grosso’s place in the 2020 national Série A2.

Player in the back-to-back state title campaign · 2019

Marcelly made a direct contribution to the 2019 Mato Grosso Women’s Championship final. She scored the winner in the first leg against Mixto and scored again in the 2–0 victory that secured the trophy.

State championship-winning player · 2019

Keila scored one of the goals in the 2–0 victory over Mixto in the return leg of the 2019 women’s final. The result secured Operário’s second consecutive state title and a place in the following year’s national Série A2.

Attacking midfielder · 2019–2020

Mikaelle Santana was part of the generation supported by Dona Juju and was named Operário’s standout player in the 2020 Série A2 guide. In the national competition, she scored twice in the 4–3 victory over Atlético-GO.

Former club player · 2019 generation

Amanda Inácio was part of the generation featured in the 2019 report about Dona Juju’s support for Operário’s players. Later, on joining Fluminense, she mentioned her spell with Operário Ltda. in Mato Grosso when describing her career.

State championship-winning coach · 2024

Welington Miranda coached Operário FC to the 2024 Mato Grosso Women’s Championship. The team secured the title against Ação with a 1–0 victory in the return leg of the final at Dutrinha.

Scorer of the title-winning goal · 2024

Aissa scored the goal in the 1–0 victory over Ação in the return leg of the 2024 Mato Grosso Women’s Championship final. The match at Dutrinha secured Operário FC’s title.

State final protagonist · 2025

Joysinha scored both of Operário’s goals in the 2–1 victory over Ação in the return leg of the 2025 state final. The result levelled the tie and took the final to penalties, where the team finished as runners-up.

President since 2023 · 2021–present

A club official since 2021 and president since 2023, Atahide Mello led the name change from Operário FC Ltda. to Várzea Grande EC. Announced in 2025 for the 2026 season, the transition sought a distinct identity and a connection with the city. The club also held a competition to select its new crest.

Designer of the new crest · 2025

Diogo Palilo designed the crest selected in the 2025 visual identity competition held during the transition to Várzea Grande EC. The design came to represent the institution’s new name.

Um Grande Escudeiro · visual identity · Visual identity and the 2025 competition

Romilson de Lima, of Um Grande Escudeiro, worked on Operário Ltda.’s previous visual identity and took part in organising the new crest competition.