Maurício Alencar

I am a Brazilian-British journalist based in London.

My experience in journalism includes writing articles for The Athletic, working inside newsrooms at Reuters and The Sun, and running Oxford University’s independent student newspaper Cherwell as its Editor-in-Chief.

Some of my best stories include a feature piece on the relationship between Brazilian football and nationalism, a ‘special report’ on how Oxford University partnered with Blavatnik and a Russian bank, and a story on Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin’s donation to Oxford – picked up by The Times, openDemocracy and the Mail Online.

In my spare time, I produce video explainers on Latin American news and other current affairs via TikTok and Insta Reels.

As I am actively seeking freelance opportunities – including work placements, internships and other additional roles – I hope to expand my skillset and gain more experience at this early stage of my career. I am available to work on overnight shifts and on weekends.

In early 2022, I was awarded the Clive Taylor prize for sports journalism by the Geddes Trust, which funded a two-month stay in Brazil exploring football stories as a freelancer for The Athletic.

I have also been shortlisted for ‘Best Piece of Work by a Student or Early Career Journalist’ at the Freelance Journalism Awards 2023 and FWA Student Football Writer of the Year in 2022.

After graduating from the University of Oxford with First Class Honours in BA English Language and Literature, I have started an MA in International Journalism at City, University of London.

Finding interesting story ideas, taking the initiative to approach contacts and writing clean copy under time pressure are some of my main skills. I have experience in using tools such as InDesign, Canva and WordPress.