Artur Jorge, former coach who gave Portugal its first European Cup, dies at 78

Efe

Updated Thursday, February 22, 2024-13:25

Coach

Artur Jorge,

one of the most respected Portuguese coaches in the world and who

gave Portugal its first European Cup in 1987

when he managed Porto, died this Thursday due to a long illness.

According to the statement released today by his relatives, Artur Jorge Braga de Melo Teixeira "died last morning at the age of 78, after a long illness."

Artur Jorge was a footballer in the Porto youth team and sat on the bench for the first time in July 1980, as second for Vitória de Guimarães.

His most notable success came as a

coach with Porto

, when on May 27, 1987 the Portuguese team won the European Cup final against Bayern Munich (2-1).

They had two aces at the top, the Portuguese Paulo Futre and the Algerian Rabah Madjer, who beat a German team led by Michael Rummenigge, the recently deceased Andreas Brehme and the middle Lothar Matthäus.

It was

the first European Cup won by a Portuguese team

and its successes catapulted the wise Artur Jorge to

the highest levels of world football.

In two different stages (1991-94 and 98-99), he coached

Paris Saint-Germain

in which he coached players of the stature of David Ginola and George Weah and won a league.

He also coached

Benfica

(1994-95) and during his time abroad he took charge of teams such as CSK Moscow and the Cameroon and Swiss national teams.

In Spain he was on the bench for

CD Tenerife

(97-98).

In addition, he coached his country's national team between 1990 and 1991 and in 1996.

One of the first to express his public condolences to the family was Paulo Futre, with this message on his social networks: "You have 45 minutes to make history. "I will never forget these words nor will I forget you.

Thank you for everything Always, Eternal Mister.

My deepest condolences to all your family.

Rest in peace".

In a statement, the Portuguese League "deeply regrets" his death, while the Portuguese Football Federation describes him as "an indelible figure of Portuguese football", while recalling that, as a footballer, he was capped 16 times.