Jorge Jesus has never been a man to mince words, and after a season that saw his Benfica side reclaim domestic supremacy, the Portuguese tactician has laid out the statistical evidence of his squad’s dominance in black and white.
Speaking about the accolades that followed the 2018-19 campaign, Jesus highlighted a clean sweep of the top individual honors and significant international recognition for his squad.
“I received the Coach of the Year award, João Félix received the Player of the Year award with the most votes, and nine of our players were called up to three different national teams that will soon participate in the World Cup,” Jesus stated, using the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia as the benchmark for his players’ quality.
While the current season saw Benfica clinch the Primeira Liga title, the groundwork for this success was laid in the previous campaign.
The Individual Accolades
Following a season where Benfica secured a direct entry into the Champions League group stage thanks to a runner-up finish in 2017/18 , the Portuguese league recognized the team’s core strength. Jesus was honored as the league’s premier coach, while his young prodigy, João Félix, emerged as the breakout star, securing the Player of the Year award with the highest vote count.
Global Recognition
Jesus’s claim regarding international call-ups underscores the talent density at the Seixal academy. Specifically, nine players were selected to represent their nations at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, spread across three continents:
· Portugal (Hosts): Benfica was well-represented by the meteoric rise of defender Rúben Dias. Despite his youth, Dias was named to Fernando Santos’s squad for the tournament in Russia, a testament to his rapid development .
· Argentina: The iconic winger Eduardo Salvio earned his place in Jorge Sampaoli’s squad for the Albiceleste’s campaign, bringing his vast experience to the attacking line .
· Nigeria: Defender Tyronne Ebuehi, who was with Benfica at the time, secured his ticket to Russia as part of the Nigerian Super Eagles .
A Legacy Cemented
The results of that season set the stage for Jesus’s later heroics. While he would eventually move to Flamengo in 2019 to win the Copa Libertadores and receive honors from the President of Portugal , his final full season in Lisbon proved that the “Jesus era” was one of tactical mastery and talent production .
With Benfica back on top, Jesus’s claim that nine of his players were ready for the world stage serves as a historical marker of a squad that was, at that moment, at the peak of its powers.
