Jorge Jesus Leading Candidate for Portugal Head Coach Role After World Cup R16 Exit
- Al Nassr manager Jorge Jesus is the front-runner to become Portugal's next head coach
- Portugal parted ways with Roberto Martínez following a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16
- Jesus, who previously managed Benfica and Flamengo, is set to be announced as the new Portugal manager
Jorge Jesus has emerged as the primary candidate to take charge of the Portuguese national football team.
The 70-year-old manager is the frontrunner for the position following Selecao das Quinas's early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team fell to a 1-0 defeat against Spain in the Round of 16.
Source: Getty Images
The result brought an abrupt end to Roberto Martínez's tenure as head coach.
Jesus set to return to Portuguese football
The veteran coach built his reputation at Benfica, where he won multiple Primeira Liga titles, before taking charge of Brazilian giants Flamengo and guiding them to the Copa Libertadores in 2019. His most recent assignment was at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
According to ESPN, an official announcement confirming Jesus as Portugal's new manager is expected imminently, with the Football Federation of Portugal moving swiftly to fill the vacancy left by Martínez.
Portugal entered the 2026 World Cup among the favourites to challenge for the title, with Cristiano Ronaldo and a generation of talented players at their disposal.
However, a failure to advance beyond the last 16 intensified pressure on the federation to chart a new course ahead of the next international cycle.
Martínez, the former Belgium and Everton manager who took over Portugal in 2022, oversaw a qualification campaign for the tournament but could not deliver the deep World Cup run the country had anticipated.
Should Jesus be confirmed, he would become the first Portuguese-born manager to lead the national side in several years, a point likely to resonate with supporters who have long called for a homegrown appointment at the helm, per Flashscore.
Jorge Jesus coaching record in Saudi Pro League
Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus enjoyed one of the most successful coaching spells in the history of the Saudi Pro League before leaving Saudi Arabia in 2026.
During his second stint with Al Hilal between 2023 and 2025, Jesus guided the Riyadh giants to the 2023/24 Saudi Pro League title, completing an unbeaten league campaign with a record 96 points.
Jesus left Al Hilal as the club's most successful coach by wins, recording 81 victories in just 96 matches during his second spell in charge.
The experienced tactician later took over at Al Nassr ahead of the 2025/26 season and immediately transformed the club into title contenders.
Under his guidance, Al Nassr won the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League title, ending the club's wait for the domestic crown and helping captain Cristiano Ronaldo lift his first Saudi league trophy.
Ronaldo flourished under Jesus, finishing the campaign as one of the league's leading scorers while playing a key role in Al Nassr's title-winning run.
Mysterious cat predicts Spain vs Portugal clash
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nimbus Pronos, which has enjoyed a decent level of success with predictions at this World Cup, has released its update on Portugal vs Spain.
The mysterious cat backs Spain to make the match Cristiano Ronaldo’s last appearance at the World Cup after he confirmed it would be his final tournament.
Source: Legit.ng
