On June 1, 2019, Jorge Jesus was appointed as the head coach of Brazilian club Flamengo for a one-year contract. But the arrival of Jesus was met with a negative reaction by fans, former Flamengo players, and commentators, who believed that he was too old and could not adapt to the Brazilian system.
Jesus did not bother about the negative remarks and kept on rejuvenating the famous club. The club was transforming into a winning-unit under him, but, even when Flamengo beat opponents, their managers would credit the results to Flamengo's players and finances rather than to Jesus.
He reacted to this atmosphere by saying, “I did not come to take anybody's place or to teach anyone. I am neither better nor worse; I work according to a methodology. I would like to remind my Brazilian colleagues that we had a Brazilian [manager] in the national team, Scolari. He was admired by the Portuguese managers. He and many others who worked in Portugal...All of us in Portugal tried to learn from them, there was never this verbal aggression that there is against me. I don't understand these closed minds, even from some who are now at home, wearing gloves and shaking.”
Flamengo won the 2019 Copa Libertadores, defeating Argentina's River Plate 2–1 with a late comeback in the final in Lima, Peru last November. He was the first foreign manager to win any international trophy with a Brazilian team, the fifth to win the Copa Libertadores with a foreign club, and only the second European coach, as well as the second non-South American native, to accomplish the feat, after Croatian Mirko Jozić with Chile's Colo-Colo in 1991; he was also only the fourth Portuguese to become club continental champion, following Artur Jorge, Manuel José, and José Mourinho.
Within 24 hours of winning the continental title, Flamengo also won the national championship, when then second-placed Palmeiras lost 2–1 to Gremio.
He was the second foreign manager, and the first non-South American, to win the Brazilian championship after Argentine Carlos Volante in the debut edition in 1959, the first foreign manager to win it since the round-robin format was introduced, the first manager from his country to win a league title in South America, and the third Portuguese to win a national championship in the Americas, after Guilherme Farinha and Pedro Caixinha.
On December 30, 2019, President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa awarded to Jesus the Order of Prince Henry commander medal (ComIH).
He said that Jesus' achievements aided Portugal's reputation abroad.
Under Jesus, some of the players of Flamengo transformed into genuine match-winners and Gabrel Barbosa was one of them. He was the golden boy last season is expected to strike gold this season as well.
Jesus returned to his old club in Portugal – Benfica, where he managed for five years previously and became the Benfica-coach with most titles won (10) and the only to win 3 titles in two consecutive seasons.
In 2015, Benfica announced they had concluded negotiations on a possible renewal of the contract with Jesus, and Jesus tried his luck in Sporting CP and Al-Hilal, but Flamengo certainly had been like a reincarnation.
Benfica brought the master back and immediately Jesus has started to build a side, which could shine in European competitions in the 2020-21 season.
Jesus realized, he needs to inject dynamism within the team and tear down the old system.
He started the mission with the Brazilians.
The 22-year-old Pedrinho has joined Benfica from Corinthians. Pedrinho donned the famous No. 10 for the Brazilian Under-23 team during the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament earlier this year and signed for Benfica soon after the tournament was over.
Pedrinho is one of the wonder kids of Corinthians and already impressed the Benfica fans, who tagged his skill and work with the ball equivalent to magic. Jesus needs magical boys in Benfica to rediscover the lost respect in European Competitions.
One Brazilian wasn’t enough, and thus Jesus signed the little onion Everton to make Benfica his first European stop. There is nothing to explain about Soares – as a winger, he is absolutely deadly and when he cuts back in – he becomes unstoppable.
Jesus will hope he will have as instant an impact in Iberia as he did for the Seleçao.
In a club-friendly, Soares has already scored a goal.
The next Brazilian to arrive in Benfica is the right-back Gilberto from Brazil's Fluminense.
Jorge Jesus, who was impressed by Gilberto during this year's Rio de Janeiro state championship.
Gilberto made 101 appearances for Fluminense following his 2018 move from Italy's Fiorentina.
Benfica also announced the signing of Brazilian goalkeeper Helton Leite from Boavista.
Julian Weigl, the defensive midfielder of Germany and Borussia Dortmund, joined the club earlier this year. Jesus would love Weigl play a pivotal role in the midfield.
UEFA U21 Championship Golden Boot winner, Luca Waldschmidt, has also chosen the Portuguese capital as his new home, signing from Freiburg.
To increase the firepower up front, Uruguay’s 21-year old Darwin Nunez has been signed.
Almeria and Benfica agreed yesterday on the transfer of Nunez.
Darwin landed yesterday with Edgardo Lasalvia, his agent and henchman, in Portugal and this Thursday will be full of activity. In the morning it will be the turn for the medical review and the signing of the contracts, which will link the charrua and Benfica for five seasons, until 2025.
Once these procedures have been passed, the time will come official announcement and presentation, in the afternoon. In it he will pose with his new shirt, with number 9.
Rúben Dias, Alex Grimaldo, Carlos Vinícius, and Florentino Luis are all still Benfica players despite heavy transfer speculation surrounding them. Whether this will be the case when the transfer window is complete is something that we all have to wait to see.
Again, after eight years in London, Jan Vertonghen is now a Benfica player. At 33 years old he would look to pass his knowledge onto Dias, his likely defensive partner while the inclusion of Edinson Cavani would be a great value when the matter of experience is considered.
Jesus is on a mission to bring back the glory days of Benfica and he has been given full freedom by the Sporting Director Rui Costa.
The signings have been an inspiration so far, and with Jesus around, one should not lose hope, but expect better things.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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