Miguel Oliveira is one of the most media-exposed Portuguese athletes, given his presence in MotoGP, despite the sport not being among the most followed in Portugal, where football remains the undisputed favorite.
Even so, the Trackhouse Racing rider is widely recognized. When asked by MOW Mag if he might be the most famous Portuguese athlete after Cristiano Ronaldo, Oliveira laughed and replied: ‘Yes, maybe yes’.
He acknowledged that there is indeed recognition from the Portuguese public, especially noting how significant it is for them to know him by his face in a sport where riders spend so much time hidden behind a helmet:
– It’s interesting because it goes beyond social media numbers, where there are riders with much larger followings than mine. And yet, almost everyone in Portugal has heard of me, knows there is a Portuguese rider in MotoGP, or recognizes my face. For someone who rides a bike wearing a helmet, it’s not a given that people will recognize you by your face.