Portugal moves to appoint Jorge Jesus as new coach after World Cup elimination

World Cup exit triggers change

Portugal's campaign ended in the round of 16 with a loss to Spain. Roberto Martínez announced his departure immediately after the match, stating that he had failed to meet the objective of winning the World Cup. The team arrived in Lisbon on the morning of 8 July, with FPF president Pedro Proença acknowledging the performance was "much below expectations". Proença had set a minimum target of the quarter-finals.

The performance was much below what we wanted.

The chosen successor

Proença told journalists at Lisbon airport that the profile of the new coach is defined: someone who knows Portuguese football deeply and identifies with the FPF's winning dynamic. Jorge Jesus, the 71-year-old former Benfica and Sporting manager, is the sole candidate. Proença expects to close the deal by Sunday, 12 July, with an official announcement likely on Monday, 13 July.

Who can say no to the national team? I already said no to one of the best teams in the world [Brazil], I cannot say no to the other.

Contract and staff

According to reports, Jesus will earn more than his predecessor and will bring part of his coaching staff from Al Nassr, where he won the Saudi league last season. The contract length is under discussion: either a deal until Euro 2028 with an option to extend through the 2030 World Cup, or a straight four-year contract focused on preparing for that tournament, which Portugal co-hosts with Spain and Morocco.

What's next

Proença said he would begin work on the appointment immediately upon returning to Portugal. A meeting between FPF and Jesus is already scheduled for this week. The federation aims to finalize everything by Sunday, allowing the new coach to start building for the next cycle, with automatic qualification for the 2030 World Cup already secured as co-host.