Former national football coach Arthur Jorge dies

Arthur Jorge, the former Portuguese coach and coach of European champion FC Porto, has died aged 78, his family said in a statement on Thursday.

“It is with deep sadness that the family of Arthur Jorge Braga de Melo Teixeira announce his death this morning in Lisbon after a long illness. He died peacefully, surrounded by his closest family,” the statement said.

As a coach, Porto-born Arthur Jorge reached the peak of his career in the 1986/87 season, when he won the European Cup with Porto, and was also coach of the national team twice.

His coaching career began in the 1980/81 season as an assistant at Vitória de Guimarães, and the following season he made his debut as head coach at Belenenses, a season in which he also played for Portimonense.

Arthur Jorge arrived at Porto in the 1984/85 season, which he left after winning the European Cup to coach French side Matra Racing before returning to the Dragons in 1988/89.

His first appearances with the Portuguese national team came in 1990 and 1991, starting with an unsuccessful qualification for Euro 1992, followed by a spell at Paris Saint-Germain before returning to Portugal to train unsuccessfully with Benfica.

Arthur Jorge returned to lead the team in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, which also failed, followed by appearances for Tenerife, Vitesse, Paris Saint-Germain, Al Nasr and Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Academica, CSKA Moscow, Al Nasr (Kuwait), Creteil Lusitanos and Algeria, as well as a selection of Cameroon and Switzerland.

During his coaching career, Arthur Jorge won three Portuguese championships, a Super Cup and a Portuguese Cup with Porto, in addition to the Champions.

Arthur Jorge also remains in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, to whom he gave his second championship title in the 1993/94 season.

As a footballer, Arthur Jorge began his career at Porto, but soon moved to Academica, from where he moved to Benfica, where he spent his best moments, ending his career with Belenenses and the North American club Rochester Lancers.

The 16-time Portugal striker won four league titles and two Portuguese Cups with the Reds.

Reactions

Futebol Clube do Porto: “As unforgettable as that evening in Vienna. Arthur Jorge will always be one of us.”

Fernando Sira, President of the Benfica General Assembly: “On behalf of Benfica, I express my deepest condolences to the entire family. I remember Mr. Artur Jorge because I am old enough and I remember when Mr. Artur Jorge came from Coimbra to Benfica. “.

Belenenses: “The governing bodies of Hos Belenenses Football Club have learned of the death of 78-year-old Artur Jorge, a striker who played 51 games and scored 14 goals for Cruz de Cristo between the 1975/76 and 1977/78 seasons. returning to Restelo in the 1981/82 season to manage the first team in nine matches.”

Professional Footballers’ Union: “The Players’ Union mourns the death of its first president and number 1 member, Arthur Jorge. Founded on February 23, 1972, the Players’ Union was founded by Arthur Jorge, Eusebio, António Simões, Fernando Pérez, Rolando, Manuel Pedro Gómez and João Barnabe, among others, and in its first statement it demanded the abolition of the options law and respect for the labor guarantees of the players.” .

Créteil Lusitanos: “Créteil Lusitanos was saddened to learn of the death of Arthur Jorge, the club’s coach during the 2006/07 season. Arthur worked for Porto, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica and even the Portuguese national team. Jorge He brings all his experience to the club.”

Tony, coach and former Benfica player: “Portuguese football is losing one of its great figures, both player and coach, who brought Porto their first European Cup and World Cup title. A coach who celebrates his generation. Portuguese football has become poorer, it is in mourning.”

Vitoria de Guimarães: Vitoria Sports Club expresses its deepest regret and sadness at the death of 78-year-old Arthur Jorge. This is a huge loss for Portuguese football.”

Andre Villas-Boas, coach and presidential candidate of FC Porto: “See you, Arthur Jorge. My deepest condolences to his entire family. May he rest in peace.”

Manuel Damasio, former Benfica president: “I have great respect for this man and coach. When I moved to Benfica, I did the same thing I did in my personal life, from a management point of view, and started looking for the Portuguese coach with the best CV. And it was Arthur Jorge.”

Carlos Queiroz, football coach: “Dear champion Arthur Jorge. All the words that can be written or spoken now can never do justice to the extraordinary and brilliant achievements of a unique career in the service of Portuguese football.”

Bernardino Pedroto, former football player and coach: “Arthur Jorge was an extremely unique person. He was different, a man who was always interested in culture, an extremely intelligent man. We had the pleasure of living together at Benfica. He was a great colleague. …He was a leader,” he emphasized.

Paris Saint-Germain: “In 1991, Paris Saint-Germain hired this erudite and French-speaking man with the goal of winning a second French title. In three years, this goal was achieved.”

Pedro Proença, President of the Portuguese Professional Football League: “The death of Arthur Jorge, 78, represents an irreparable loss for Portuguese football.”

Fernando Gomes, President of the Portuguese Football Federation: “It is with great shock and sadness that I learned of the death of Arthur Jorge, an indelible figure in Portuguese football. A great player, 16 times capped, twice coach of the national team and… As head coach, European champion with Porto, Arthur Jorge has always honored national football in Europe and the world.”

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic: “Arthur Jorge will always be remembered for his career as a football coach, namely, among the various titles he won, for winning the European Cup in 1987.”

Augusto Santos Silva, President of the Assembly of the Republic: “I remember Artur Jorge, player, coach and national football coach, but also a man of culture, a citizen and a poet. We owe to him, among other things, the achievements of winning the first European Cup for the Porto football club in the famous final in Vienna in 1987.”

João Paulo Correia, Secretary of State for Youth and Sports: “Arthur Jorge has passed away. His achievements as a player, coach and national coach are countless. He will always be remembered as the first Portuguese European champion coach and as an outstanding figure in Portuguese football, family and friends, my condolences.”