Jorge Fernando Pinheiro de Jesus, or simply Jorge Jesus, born on July 24, 1954, in Amadora, Portugal, is one of the most prominent figures in world football in recent years, especially for Brazilians, who saw the coach lead Flamengo to its peak in 2019.
However, even before and after his time in Brazil, the Portuguese coach already had a victorious career, especially as a manager, though he had a modest start as a player.
His journey in football is filled with achievements, controversies, and a unique style that made him internationally recognized and placed him among the highest-paid coaches in the world, leading Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
In 2025, Jorge Jesus once again became a hot topic among Brazilians with the possibility of becoming the coach of the national team. If this happens, he will be the first foreigner to lead the Brazilian national team.
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Will Jorge Jesus be the new coach of the Brazilian National Team?
With the recent dismissal of Dorival Jr., the position of coach of the Brazilian national team is open, and Jorge Jesus appears as the most likely name to take the job.
Carlo Ancelotti, who had been plan A for the Brazil team, seems to be out of the running, making the Portuguese the favorite coach of the CBF.
According to sources, the Portuguese coach would be willing to give up the Club World Cup with Al-Hilal to take charge of the Brazilian National Team.
Undoubtedly, Jorge Jesus’s experience in Brazilian football, with his victorious spell at Flamengo, is seen as a positive point for his potential hiring by the national team.
The coach knows the country’s football and has already demonstrated the ability to work with Brazilian players, getting the best out of them.
A possible dismissal from Al-Hilal could, of course, make negotiations with the CBF easier.
According to the Spanish newspapers Marca and AS, Carlo Ancelotti backtracked and declined the CBF’s offer after receiving a proposal to work in Saudi Arabia.
And since we are talking about one of the coaches who could take the most important job on the Brazilian bench, it’s time to learn more about Jorge Jesus and his journey.
Jorge Jesus: the first steps as a player
Before becoming a renowned coach, Jorge Jesus had a modest career as a player, starting his journey in the youth ranks of Estrela da Amadora in 1969, later moving to Sporting, where he began his professional career in 1973.
During his 17 years as a midfielder, Jesus played for several Portuguese clubs, including Belenenses, Riopele, Juventude, União de Leiria, Vitória de Setúbal, Farense, and Estrela da Amadora.
On the field, he scored only 19 goals during his 17-year career, with nine seasons in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
His playing career ended in 1989, and less than a year later, Jesus began his journey as a coach.
From Amora to recognition as a coach
Jorge Jesus began his coaching career at Amora in 1990, where he stayed until 1993. In the following years, he managed several Portuguese clubs, including:
- Felgueiras (1993-1998)
- União da Madeira (1997-1998)
- Estrela da Amadora (two stints: 1998-2000 and 2002-2003)
- Vitória de Setúbal (2000-2002)
- Vitória de Guimarães (2003-2004)
- Moreirense (2004-2005)
- União de Leiria (2005-2006)
- Belenenses (2006-2008)
- Sporting de Braga (2008-2009)
- Benfica (2009-2015)
- Sporting (2015-2018)
- Al-Hilal (2018-2019 e 2022-até o momento)
- Flamengo (2019-2020)
- Benfica (2020-2021)
- Fenerbahçe (2022-2023)
However, it was at Sporting de Braga, in the 2008-2009 season, that Jorge Jesus began to gain greater prominence. With Braga, he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2008, his first international title. This performance earned him an important step up in his career, taking charge of Benfica in 2009.
Consolidation at Benfica
At Benfica, Jorge Jesus enjoyed his most successful period in Portugal. In his first spell at the club (2009-2015), he won ten titles, including:
- 3x Portuguese Championships (2009-10, 2013-14, and 2014-15)
- 5x League Cups (2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14, and 2014-15)
- 1x Portuguese Cup (2013-14)
- 1x Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (2014)
This period established him as one of the best coaches in Portugal. However, after his first spell at Benfica, Jorge Jesus did something unusual in Portuguese football: he moved directly to rival Sporting (2015-2018). At the Alvalade club, he won titles such as:
- League Cup (2017-18)
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (2015)
Although this was a less successful spell than the previous one, Jesus maintained his reputation as a tactical coach with a strong personality that would later bring him to Brazil.
First experience in Saudi Arabia and the peak at Flamengo
Not everyone knows, but Jorge Jesus had a first spell at Al-Hilal before arriving at Flamengo.
In 2018, the coach accepted his first experience outside Portugal, taking charge of Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, where he won the Saudi Super Cup.
In 2019, came what many consider the peak of his career: his time at Flamengo.
In just 13 months in Brazil, Jorge Jesus wrote his name in the history of the Rio club by winning five titles:
- Copa Libertadores (2019)
- Brazilian Championship (2019)
- Brazilian Super Cup (2020)
- Recopa Sudamericana (2020)
- Campeonato Carioca (2020)
In addition, he set a record with a win rate of 81.3%, the best in Flamengo’s history (not to mention the style), definitively earning his place in the hearts of the largest fan base in Brazil.
The victorious spell at Flamengo enchanted Brazil with beautiful football, routs, and a dominance that has not been forgotten, even six years after his time at the club.
It is almost impossible not to think that part of the reason the Portuguese coach is among the favorites to take over as coach of the Brazilian national team is the memory of his time in Brazil in 2019, when he became an idol at Flamengo and earned the nickname “Mister” among Flamengo fans.
Return to Portugal and experience in Turkey
Even after being celebrated and adored by fans, in July 2020, Jorge Jesus chose to leave Flamengo to return to Benfica. However, his second stint at the Portuguese club was not as successful as the first.
In the 2020/21 season, the team was eliminated by PAOK of Greece in the Champions League qualifying round, finished third in the Portuguese Championship, and was knocked out in the first knockout round of the Europa League.
The following season, Jesus managed Benfica for only 30 games before leaving in December 2021, after a defeat to Porto in an already tense environment.
In total, in this second stint, there were 83 games, with 52 wins, 17 draws, and 14 losses.
After a few months off, Jorge Jesus signed with Fenerbahçe of Turkey in May 2022. There, he won the Turkish Cup in the 2022/23 season, his first title since leaving Flamengo.
In total, he led the Turkish team in 54 games, with 36 wins, 10 draws, and 8 losses.
The second spell at Al-Hilal and the current moment
In July 2023, Jorge Jesus began his second spell at Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, with a contract renewed until the end of the 2024/25 season.
In this second experience, the coach has been quite successful, having won so far:
- Saudi Championship 2023/24
- Saudi King’s Cup 2023/24
- Saudi Super Cups 2023/24 and 2024/25
A remarkable achievement was setting a Guinness Book record by leading Al-Hilal to 34 consecutive victories.
Moreover, Jorge Jesus became the most successful coach in the club’s history with 89 wins in 102 games.
Crisis in paradise?
Even with so many records, the current moment at Al-Hilal is uncertain. On April 30, 2025, the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that the club called an emergency meeting to discuss the coach’s future, who is at risk of being dismissed after being eliminated by Al-Ahli in the AFC Champions League.
Besides the elimination, another issue against Jesus is the current situation in the Saudi Championship, where Al-Hilal is in second place, six points behind Al-Ittihad.
Controversies and Controversial Style
Jorge Jesus is known not only for his achievements but also for his controversial statements and strong temperament.
One of the most recent controversies involves Neymar. In January 2025, Jorge Jesus stated that the Brazilian striker “could not keep up with the Saudi team physically.” After his debut for Santos, Neymar revealed he was “very upset” with the coach’s words and said that in training he showed he was fit to play: “I was very upset with Jorge Jesus’s words. In training, I showed I was fit to play, just like the other players. When we played scrimmages, I was the one who decided.”
Another notable controversy occurred during his time at Flamengo, when he downplayed the importance of state championships: “If Flamengo wins the State Championship, does that add to my résumé? In Brazil, yes. Outside Brazil, zero.”
His explosive temperament is also well known. An example was reported by player Fellipe Bastos, who said he was expelled by Jorge Jesus from a Benfica training session for dribbling Alan Kardec: “He blew the whistle and said: ‘Do you think you are in Copacabana? Do you think you are playing a pick-up game in Copacabana? Get out of training now.'”
Another controversial statement was about Brazilian coaches: “The Brazilian coach is tactically outdated. Do you know why? Because they always had great players, and those players solved tactical problems on their own. Brazilian coaches had less need to create collective ideas. Because of that, they are outdated.”
So, will the problems with Neymar be overcome in the national team? The fact is that Jorge Jesus is about to return to Brazil, now at the helm of our national team.
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