Portuguese Football in English
France and Real Madrid legend Raphaël Varane has been speaking about his experience working under José Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu as a young player.
Varane, who retired earlier this season after injury problems, sat down alongside another former Mourinho charge, Lassana Diarra, on a French show co-hosted by current Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni. Mourinho was a particular subject of conversation, with both ex-players praising the Portuguese’s approach.
For decades, Paris was the city with the highest population of Portuguese citizens outside of Lisbon such were the endless swathes of emigrants making their way from a poverty-stricken Portugal under dictatorship to “the city of light”. Today, the French capital remains a big attraction for another kind of emigration: that of world-class footballers.
Vitinha, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Gonçalo Ramos have all enhanced their reputation in Ligue 1. Zach Lowy delves into their impressive individual and collective development under Luis Enrique and ponders on what it may mean for Portugal’s chances of glory.
João Palhinha’s protracted transfer to Bayern Munich has yet to deliver the type of results many had hoped when the Portugal midfielder finally moved to Germany last summer.
Palhinha finally got his dream move to Bavaria last July, having missed out the previous year when the deal collapsed at the last minute. However, the former Sporting man has struggled to make an impact with the Bundesliga leaders under Vincent Kompany.
Sporting confirmed on Wednesday evening that young duo Geovany Quenda and Dário Essugo have been sold to English Premier League club Chelsea for a combined transfer fee of €74.4m.
Quenda will cost the Blues €50.7m rising to €52m and will move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2026, while Essugo will net the Lions €22.3m and heads to London at the end of the current season when his loan at Las Palmas finishes.
José Mourinho has inevitably brought more of the world’s attention to Turkish football, as he navigates his first season in charge of Istanbul giants Fenerbahce. Yet there is another Portuguese – and a close friend of Mourinho’s – who is currently having perhaps the more remarkable impact on the Super Lig.
José Morais took charge of struggling Bodrumspor, who were in the relegation zone, in early February, since when the well-travelled Portuguese has overseen an incredible turnaround. Most remarkably, Bodrumspor have yet to concede a goal across his seven matches in charge.
