Tag: portugal

Ricardo Quaresma and the storied journey of an enigmatic prodigy

Portuguese football has a rich history of sublime attacking talents. From the great striking exploits of Eusébio to Barcelona star turned Galáctico icon Luís Figo, Portugal is a nation that’s been blessed…

Eusébio: Black Panther

This article is taken from the Battle of the 10s issue of These Football Times Magazine, which you can order today. “Who’s that black guy that scored three goals in 20 minutes?…

How far can Marco Silva go in his managerial career?

MARCO SILVA HAS MADE A BIG IMPRESSION in his short time in English football. Arriving with a burgeoning reputation, the improvement in results and style of football he’s managed to produce with…

Jorge Mendes and the journey from nobody to football titan

Modern-day football us about much more than just the 90 minutes played on the pitch. The intricate complexities of the game transcend the playing surface, forming a web spun by managers, directors and…

Vítor Oliveira: Portugal’s undisputed king of promotions

HAVING HELD 22 separate managerial positions across 17 different Portuguese football clubs throughout his long and continuing career as a manager, Vítor Manuel Oliveira has proven himself to have an extraordinary and…

How Benfica became a global figurehead in player development

THE CONCEPT OF AGGREGATION by marginal gains was first championed by British cycling performance director Sir David Brailsford. In an interview with the BBC during the aftermath of the London 2012 Olympics,…

The curious case of Portuguese sensation Dani

Portuguese, devilishly handsome, full of himself and self-centred. A product of the Sporting Clube de Portugal academy, fond of a step-over or two and a footballer who made his name in the…