Jorge Jesus Footballer, manager Date of Birth: 24.06.1954 Country: Portugal

Biography of Jorge Jesus

Jorge Jesus is a former Portuguese footballer who is currently serving as the manager of the Lisbon football club 'Benfica'. He was born to Jesus Virgolino, who played for Lisbon's 'Sporting' in the 1940s. Jorge began his career as a junior player in 'Estrela Amadora' and later moved to 'Sporting' in 1971.

After spending two years in the youth division of 'Sporting', Jorge moved up to the senior level and stayed with the team for three more years. In 1976, he left 'Sporting' and joined 'Belenenses' for a year before playing for 'Riopele', 'Juventude Évora', and 'União Leiria'. In 1980, Jorge joined 'Vitória Setúbal' where he played for three years, followed by two years with 'Estrela' and then 'Benfica Castelo Branco' and 'Almancilense' for a year each.

In 1989, Jorge retired from his playing career having played 166 matches and scored 13 goals. However, he did not completely leave football as he immediately transitioned into coaching and managing. He started his managerial career at 'Amora' and later moved to 'Felgueiras' in 1993. Under his guidance, the team achieved significant success.

Jorge then worked with 'Estrela' where his team reached 8th place in consecutive final games. He also had short but productive stints with 'Vitória de Setúbal' and 'Amadora'. In 2003, he played a crucial role in helping 'Vitória de Guimarães' avoid relegation from their division by a margin of just two points.

In the following years, Jorge managed 'Moreirense', 'União de Leiria', and 'Belenenses', with the latter team reaching 5th place in the league and qualifying for the UEFA Cup. On May 20, 2008, Jorge joined 'Sporting' from Braga and led the team to 5th place in the league and UEFA Cup qualification.

In June 2009, Jorge replaced Quique Flores as the manager of 'Benfica'. In his first year, he guided the team to the top of the league, with only two defeats and 78 goals scored throughout the season. 'Benfica' also reached the quarterfinals of the Europa League, where they were eliminated by Liverpool.

On October 5, 2009, Jorge achieved his 100th victory in the Portuguese League as his team defeated 'Paços de Ferreira' 3-1. He made his debut in the Lisbon derby a month later, which ended in a draw. Despite the result, Jorge's performance impressed the club's management, and his contract was extended until 2013.

Currently, Jorge Jesus continues to work at 'Benfica' and has no plans to change teams.