THE Coach Rui Jorge says that he had great pleasure in having been in charge of the Portuguese under-21 football team for more than 14 years, ensuring that he would not change anything that he did along the way.
“We didn’t achieve it. We were actually in the final twice, but we weren’t able to win it. But it’s an extremely difficult thing, it’s not a simple thing to achieve. We did everything to make that happen. There’s nothing I can say today that I could have done this to be closer to winning. No, I think I really did everything I could, myself and the players, to achieve that distinction”, he stated.
In an interview with the Lusa agency, Rui Jorge also highlighted the way in which his players were able “to honor and dignify those who won” the two finals of the under-21 European Championships that he played in, in 2015 and 2021, noting that he was taking “balance throughout all this time”.
“The balance I have always taken was the pleasure it gave me while I was in front of all these great players. Once upon a time, players with potential and incredible behavior. What I have to highlight from all these years was also this relationship I managed to have with all of them, and the way in which I believe that at all times, in all generations, they defended the colors of Portugal and with the sense of responsibility and passion that was, for me, essential to represent our national team”, he said.
For Rui Jorge “it would always be unfair” to highlight some of the many players who played for the under-21 team during his ‘reign’, as they all “gave their best” and “are quite different from each other”.
“Some with very strong points, others with others. And that’s what made them always have great groups and great teams. But I don’t particularly like to highlight them individually. Some reached the top of world football, others not so much. And even (in relation to) those, not really, I’m still very proud to have worked with them”, he assured.
More than 60 players who passed through Rui Jorge’s hands reached the AA team, but the current Azerbaijan under-20 coach says that this is not the only trophy he takes from his time with the Portuguese team.
“I also take the human part as a trophy for me. I also have the behavioral part as a trophy. And, as is evident, having contributed, even though I often say this in even a tiny way, to their growth, to this move towards the high level that they all had or that most of them had, makes me satisfied, of course”, he stated.
Rui Jorge maintains “a feeling of deep admiration” for the players he trained and believes that there is a feeling “of respect on their part”, something that “fills him with pride”.
