Women’s football coach Francisco Neto extended his contract with the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) until 2027, while Jorge Braz, world champion and two-time European futsal champion, extended his contract until 2026, the federation said on Tuesday. .
Francisco Neto has been in charge of the main Portuguese women’s football team since 2014, playing the role of technical coordinator and goalkeeper coach in the structure since 2009.
“Above all, it is a privilege to continue working at this institution that has done a lot to develop women’s football and that is reflected in the results,” the 41-year-old coach told the FPF consultancy.
This extension allows Francisco Neto this year not only in the final phase of the 2023 World Cup, an unprecedented competition for the Portuguese women’s team, but also in the qualification for the European Championship 2025, in the two qualifications for the League of Nations (2024 and 2026) and in qualifying for the 2027 World Cup.
“I am also proud to continue to be part of the path we have taken in recent years, involving many people and many institutions (FPF, clubs and district and regional football associations). (…) Strength continuing this work is something we are very proud of,” the coach added.
Francisco Neto promised to keep the squad competitive and believe it until the last minute, underlining that Portugal wants to rely only on itself, with a desire to be “a surprise” in this year’s World Cup.
Francisco Neto’s renewal was announced at the same time as Jorge Braz, with whom the Federation also extended, but until 2026.
“We want to keep looking to the future and allow Francisco Neto to participate and lead the national team to a new World Cup, which will take place in 2027. Championship”considered the president of the FPF, Fernando Gomes, whose term of office expires in 2024.
Portuguese futsal coach Jorge Braz, world champion and two-time European champion, has extended his contract until 2026.
Jorge Braz, who will lead the team in two European Championship qualifiers (2024 and 2026), and one for the 2024 World Cup, took office in 2010 replacing Orlando Duarte.
Speaking to the FPF press office, 50-year-old Jorge Braz was “proud” of the renovation, which he regarded as “a recognition of the work done”.
“It is a huge source of pride. A very special feeling to receive this recognition and especially to see the willingness the FPF is showing to continue to rely on me and our national technical team,” he said.
The coach, who has been under contract with the FPF since 2007, promised work and expressed the desire to win more titles: “Nothing can ever be achieved that we have done so far and, regardless of the important results achieved in recent years, years have been achieved, which we are very proud of, there is always so much more to do”.
The president of the FPF, Fernando Gomes, who today also renewed the contract with the women’s football coach Francisco Neto, highlighted the work of both in the national teams.
“In the context of what our stability policy has been, in the relationship with the technical teams, in this case of women’s football and futsal, I leave here a word of recognition and gratitude for the excellent work that both have done,” stressed Gomes.
The federation leader took the will of “keep looking to the future and allow Francisco Neto to participate and lead the national team to a new World Cup, which will take place in 2027, and that Jorge Braz extend their relationship until 2026, the year in which there will be another championship will be held from futsal Europe”.
Source: DN
