Lately, the name Ruben Amorim has been increasingly mentioned in the context of potential appointments to top clubs. The young Portuguese coach is linked with giants such as Liverpool, Barcelona, and Chelsea. And it’s not surprising – under his guidance, Sporting Lisbon is fiercely competing for the championship title in Portugal, leading the closest pursuer Benfica by one point. The successes of the 39-year-old coach may soon be crowned with a second golden medal in four years. Can Sporting win the championship this season? You can test your luck at the Mostbet UZ online bookmaker, which offers excellent betting conditions.
Amorim’s path to the summits of Portuguese football has been challenging but swift. Just four years after his appointment at Sporting, he managed to return the team to the elite after long years of stagnation and the dominance of Porto and Benfica. The progress of Lisbon’s club is attributed to Ruben’s unique coaching talent, his ability to quickly organize attacking and spectacular football.
Transformation of Braga into a Breakthrough Team
Amorim’s name first gained prominence in 2019 when he, taking charge of Braga, almost immediately propelled the team to the top of the Portuguese league. Assuming leadership at the end of the year, the 34-year-old specialist revolutionized the Gunners’ game.
Quickly abandoning the restraining tactics of his predecessor, Ruben rebuilt the team in an attacking manner. Braga played openly and boldly, offering opponents bright and aggressive football. The results were not long in coming – in the first one and a half months under Amorim’s leadership, his charges defeated all the giants of Portuguese football.
By February 2020, the Gunners had won five matches in a row against Porto, Benfica, and Sporting, as well as becoming the winners of the Portuguese League Cup. It was the first trophy in Ruben’s coaching career, instantly making him one of the brightest figures in the national championship.
Sporting’s Return to the Top Clubs
The impressive start did not go unnoticed – Sporting took a keen interest in Amorim. In March 2020, the newly-minted sensation coach moved to Lisbon for €10 million.
The transition to the Lions was a career step forward for Ruben but also a serious challenge. Sporting was not in the best shape, overshadowed by the other two Portuguese giants – Porto and Benfica. The Lisbon club’s last championship title was won in 2002, after which they fell out of contention for a long time.
Fans were skeptical of appointing a young coach who had close ties to Benfica, where he had played as a player. But Amorim quickly dispelled all doubts, restoring Sporting’s status as a top club.
In the debut season of 2020/21, the Lisbon Lions sensationally won the championship, ending a 19-year trophy drought. Besides the gold medals, under Ruben’s guidance, the Lions won the Portuguese League Cup and the country’s Super Cup.
The playing style that brought results
The key to Amorim’s success at Sporting was his attacking, spectacular model of football. Under his guidance, Lisbon demonstrates a bright, aggressive, and high-intensity style of play.
A lion’s share of the attack building falls on the central midfielders, who are required to distribute the ball intelligently. But the main threat comes from the flanks, where Sporting seeks to maximize the speed and creativity of the players.
It is noteworthy that the leading scorer of the current season, Swedish forward Victor Djeresh, has already scored 36 goals – the best result since former Lisbon leaders Bruno Fernandes and Bas Dost. And the creators of scoring opportunities are versatile players like Pedro Gonçalves (48 key passes) and Marcus Edwards.
At the same time, Amorim demands a team-wide game on both ends of the field. Sporting works hard defensively: three out of four central defenders are among the league leaders in effective ball recoveries.
The balance of components makes Lisbon’s football highly entertaining and productive. It’s no wonder that the progress of the Lions has attracted serious interest from elite clubs.
A “Special” Portuguese Coach?
Ruben Amorim’s prospects are truly impressive. If Sporting manages to win the gold medals this season, then their coach will go down in history as the first coach since the 1950s to win more than one championship title.
In Portugal, Ruben is being watched with special attention, placing great hopes on him. The press already compares him to Jose Mourinho – the famous compatriot who achieved tremendous success in England.
Indeed, in style and manner, Amorim closely resembles a young “Special One.” He is also charismatic, ambitious, and bold in his decisions. At the same time, Ruben demonstrates the highest coaching talent in building attacking play.
It’s not surprising that the specialist is already linked with a probable move to one of the top clubs in the near future. How exactly the career of the ambitious young coach will continue? We’ll find out very soon.
