Portugal's football federation, the Federacao Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF), has changed the coaches of six men's youth national teams for the 2026/27 season, according to a document seen by the Lusa news agency on Tuesday.
The reshuffle accompanies the appointment of Jorge Jesus as the new coach of Portugal's senior men's team, replacing the Spaniard Roberto Martinez. Martinez left the post after Portugal was eliminated by European and world champions Spain in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Jesus is one of Portuguese football's best known coaches, having previously managed Benfica, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Turkey's Fenerbahce and Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, among other clubs. Martinez had taken charge of the Portugal national team after managing Everton, Wigan Athletic and the Belgium national team.
Under-20s and under-19s
Vasco Faisca has taken charge of the under-20 squad, which won the Maurice Revello Tournament in France in June. The competition, held annually in the southern French city, was previously known as the Toulon Tournament and is widely regarded as a proving ground for future senior internationals. Faisca replaces Oceano Cruz, a former Portugal international midfielder, who leaves the role after three years in charge.
Faisca, 45, spent most of his playing career in Portugal and Italy and was part of Portugal's European under-18 champion side in 1999. Before taking the under-20 job, he coached at Olhanense, Sporting de Braga B, Alverca, Farense, Belenenses and the Venezuelan club Academia Puerto Cabello.
At the level above, Bino Macaes was promoted to lead the under-19s, while Filipe Ramos returned to the under-17s three years after he last held that post.
Under-17s and under-16s
Ramos and Macaes replace Emilio Peixe and Jose Lima, who both failed to steer their respective age groups into the finals of the last European Championships at those levels.
Macaes, 53, coached the under-18s in 2025/26, but is best known for leading Portugal to its first ever under-17 World Cup title, won in Qatar in November 2025, five months after the same group had won the continental title in Albania. As a player, Macaes won the European under-16 championship with Portugal in 1989, was a losing finalist at the 1994 under-21 European Championship and took bronze at the 1989 under-16 World Championship.
Ramos, 56, previously worked with the under-16s and also remains at the federation. As a player, he was an under-20 world champion in 1989 and finished runner-up at the 1988 under-18 European Championship with the Portugal team.
The under-16s now fall under Vitor Gazimba, 38, who joins the FPF for the first time after spending the past decade working abroad.
Under-18s and under-15s
Ricardo Duarte has taken on the combined role of under-18 head coach and national technical coordinator. Tiago Matos, who was already an assistant across the youth national teams, stays in charge of the under-15s, previously led by Joao Santos, and also serves as sub-coordinator of the federation's men's football structure.
Santos moves into the FPF's pool of national team coaches, joining Emanuel Goncalves, Jose Caldeira, Rui Fonte and an as yet unnamed former player. Marcio Santos coordinates the federation's goalkeeping coaches, a group that also includes Duarte Miranda, Pedro Silva and Fernando Monteiro.
Senior team and under-21s
For the senior team, Jesus will be joined by assistant coach Joao de Deus, goalkeeper coaches Nelson Pereira and Ricardo Pereira, fitness coach Marcio Sampaio, and analysts Fabio Jesus, Gil Henriques and Rodrigo Araujo.
Unlike the other national squads, the under-21s keep their coach, Luis Freire, with Portugal close to qualifying for the 2027 European Championship at that level.
Federation leadership
Oscar Tojo remains in charge of the FPF's national technical direction. The overhaul comes after the first full season under federation president Pedro Proenca, who has brought in Lourenco Coelho as executive director for the national teams.
