Luanda - Former Portugal football coach, Artur Jorge, died in the early hours of Thursday, at the age of 78, victim of a prolonged illness.
According to the Portuguese press, which cites a family statement, Artur Jorge passed away peacefully in Lisbon.
With his life dedicated to football, first as a player and then as a coach, "King Artur" was Portuguese champion on seven occasions.
He guided the national team several times and was the coach of FC Porto's first ever victory in the European Champions Cup, in 1987.
Artur Jorge coached some of the most historic clubs in Portugal: in addition to the Dragons (FC Porto), he played for Benfica, Belenenses and Académica.
Still as a coach, he guided the Cameroon national team, with whom he played in the quarter-finals of the African Championship, held in Egypt.
As an athlete, he joined Benfica in 1969, and was then the top scorer in the Portuguese championship in two consecutive seasons: 1970/71 and 1971/72.
Furthermore, he won all four championships and the two Portuguese cups that he won as a player.
He would end his playing career at Belenenses, where he faced Eusébio when he was at Beira-Mar (with whom he had already shared a dressing room at Benfica). WR/MC/CF/DOJ
