Sport

Rui Jorge criticizes Pedro Proença after leaving U-21 national team

Rui Jorge expressed dissatisfaction with how he left his role as U-21 coach and criticized the FPF president in an interview.

17 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

AI-generatedWritten by an AI system, editorially responsible — how we work

Archive photo: Rui Jorge criticizes Pedro Proença after leaving U-21 national team — Archive photoPhoto: Sport Lisboa e Benfica · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

Rui Jorge, former head coach of the U-21 national team, has made strong criticisms of Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). In an interview with the Lusa agency, Jorge expressed his dismay regarding the way he was treated after nearly 15 years of affiliation with the FPF. According to Jorge, his departure from the role was not accompanied by the recognition it deserved from the Federation's management.

The ex-coach used the phrase "not the behavior of a good person" to describe Proença, stating that he considers his attitude dishonest. Rui Jorge pointed to what he believes reflects a 'low human and professional value' of the current FPF president, particularly concerning the process that led to his exit from the U-21 team.

In addition to his criticism of Pedro Proença as a person, Rui Jorge emphasized that he did not even receive the proper acknowledgment in a statement for his contributions over the years, which heightens his sense of grievance. He expressed that this lack of communication and recognition reflects the disregard he believes he has received from the Federation.

Rui Jorge's statements come at a time when the FPF is facing other controversies, including issues involving prominent figures in Portuguese football, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus. This situation places the FPF in a precarious position, especially with the critiques being publicly raised.

Thus, Rui Jorge's interview captures a dissatisfaction that extends beyond himself, implicating a series of questions about the management of the FPF and its treatment of former employees. His departure from the U-21 national team was not simply a change of position but an event filled with discontent.

Such criticism of the Federation's leadership may have broader consequences, although it is not specified at this moment how the FPF will respond to these allegations and the impact they will have on its public image. The next steps for Rui Jorge and the response from Pedro Proença have yet to be announced.

This item was written by an AI system on the basis of the headlines and short teasers of the independently operating newsrooms named below. We disclose this under Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). Before publication we check origin and verifiability — anything that appears in only one place is not published — as well as language, substance and legally sensitive content. No separate substantive review of each individual item by a natural person takes place; we therefore do not rely on the exemption in Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of the AI Act. Editorial responsibility for this publication rests with the person named in the imprint (§ 18 Abs. 2 MStV). Please report errors to [email protected] — we will correct or remove the item. Full reports are available from the sources listed.