As vozes do gramado: Relato de ex-atletas sobre a formação do Sindicato de Futebolistas Profissionais do Rio de Janeiro (1971-1982)

The text is part of a research accomplished with former soccer athletes that participated in the foundation of the athletes' of soccer of Rio de Janeiro union. The work tries initially to explain the appearance of SAFERJ and starting from that to accomplish some notes about the formation of the collective memory of the institution, through the understanding of their personal and professional paths. The study analyse that the specificities of the profession, together with the formation of a football habitus and an acquired experience in individual and collective fights are indispensable elements to understand the formation of that collective memory of the union and his/her subsequent consolidation.