There’s a strong Portuguese flavour to Manchester United right now, strengthened by Ruben Amorim masterminding Sporting’s 4-1 victory over Manchester City.
Ruben Amorim’s icon status at Sporting and in Portugal at large is well-known by now and those credentials only cemented themselves further with this win.
The world was watching the game which was perhaps unfairly dubbed as Amorim’s test but not many would have expected he would ace it this way.
Amorim said before the game he lives to prove people wrong and that’s what he did in his last game at his current home in Lisbon.
Portuguese press, already in awe of the manager who has transformed the previously fallen giant, waxed lyrical about the man who has put Sporting, and the standing of Portuguese football, on the map again.
Portuguese press on Ruben Amorim’s last home game
The eyes of the world have been on Ruben Amorim ever since it was announced that he was leaving to become the Man Utd manager.
He has handled himself with top professionalism since the announcement, balancing his current duties extremely well with the job to come and questions to tackle.
Therefore, the press have been nothing but complimentary of the way he has carried himself and that’s reflected in the coverage he received after this win.
SicNoticias said Amorim “went to heaven” in his farewell game, referencing the guard of honor he received from his players and the way he was lifted up in the air to celebrate.
Abola compared him to Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp, reporting that he equalled the world-class duo by inflicting a heavy defeat on Pep Guardiola, which was also City’s third in a row.
Noticias O Minuto referenced Matheus Reis’ comments about Amorim “literally being a father” to the players, with the outside world having “no idea” how much he meant to them.
O Jogo said Amorim “promised and delivered”, taking a holistic look at his Sporting tenure and the fact he revived the club’s fortunes after taking over in a difficult moment. Amorim had also promised to greet the supporters with the team after the win against Amadora and he kept that too.
Observador noted the fans’ affection for the manager: “Despite it being a weekday, despite it being ten o’clock at night with a likely longer waiting time as it was a full house, and even despite it being the night of the US elections which always sparks interest in following the results, few or no people left Alvalade early to pay their last respects to the Sporting coach.”
Amorim will deal with a very different media in England
So far, Amorim has shown all the signs that he is an expert at navigating the treacherous media landscape but has already accepted that it’s been tough.
English media has already started to show its colours, be it by pestering him to speak in English or trying to steer him away from the club he’s managing right now.
That is only going to intensify once he arrives at Old Trafford and that’s something he will realise once he’s in the job, as every other manager before him has.
Erik ten Hag was battered constantly for his lack of charisma or connecting with the press, while Jose Mourinho, who Amorim will speak to before joining, frequently resorted to self-defence to protect himself from the scrutiny.
Others, like David Moyes, eventually fell victim to it and Amorim will need a strong force of personality to deal with it.
He conquered the Portuguese football scene but just like matters on the pitch, his challenge on the pitch will be at a different scale altogether.
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