Roberto Martínez is now part of Portugal’s past, and among the names being linked with the job, Jorge Jesus is the clear favourite and, in my opinion, the best option.
I wouldn’t say I’m one of the best people to talk about him, because I don’t need that kind of arrogance, but I’ve followed Jorge Jesus’ work closely for the past three years and, more generally, for around six years, including his outstanding spell at Flamengo. I say this because most people who talk about Jorge Jesus only do so at a surface level. Very few actually follow his work closely. They simply say, “He dominated the Saudi league and Asian football with Al Hilal, then went to Al Nassr to help Cristiano.”
With that in mind, the discussion over Portugal’s next manager has centred around Jorge Jesus, Sérgio Conceição and Abel Ferreira. Abel Ferreira is the only one of the three still in a job, so I’ll leave him out of the conversation for now. His time will come.
Between Jesus and Conceição, I much prefer Jorge Jesus’ style, the person he is and the affection he receives from Portuguese fans. He’s genuinely a figure that people in Portugal admire. Conceição, on the other hand, has a level of arrogance that, in my view, isn’t ideal for someone leading an entire country.
There’s another important point. Many people think winning the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr is comparable to Barcelona winning La Liga, but they’re mistaken. It’s much closer to Atlético Madrid winning the Spanish title, which makes the achievement even more impressive.
Jorge Jesus knows how to play attractive football, but he also knows how to win. His teams play good football, but always with a purpose. Above all, there’s one quality I value enormously: his relentless desire for more. His team could be 3-0 up and cruising, yet you’d still see Jorge Jesus on the touchline shouting for them to keep pressing.
Conclusion
I don’t really see much of a debate over who should become Portugal’s next manager. I also believe Ronaldo still has another UEFA Nations League campaign in him, and we’ve already seen that Jorge Jesus knows how to get the best out of him, which is essential.
Not only that, but he also managed to revive João Félix by using him as a second striker, allowing him to become the best player in the Saudi Pro League.