 Amorim withManchester United in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ruben Filipe Marques Amorim[1][2] | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-01-27)27 January 1985 (age 40)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Lisbon, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Manchester United (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2000 | Clube Atlético Cultural | ||
| 2000–2002 | Benfica | ||
| 2002–2003 | Belenenses | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2008 | Belenenses | 96 | (4) |
| 2008–2017 | Benfica | 95 | (5) |
| 2012–2013 | →Braga (loan) | 30 | (4) |
| 2015–2016 | →Al-Wakrah (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| Total | 237 | (15) | |
| International career | |||
| 2003 | Portugal U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Portugal U19 | 13 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Portugal U20 | 13 | (0) |
| 2005–2008 | Portugal U21 | 10 | (0) |
| 2010–2014 | Portugal | 14 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2018–2019 | Casa Pia | ||
| 2019 | Braga B | ||
| 2019–2020 | Braga | ||
| 2020–2024 | Sporting CP | ||
| 2024– | Manchester United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Ruben Filipe Marques Amorim (European Portuguese:[ˈʁuβɛnfɨˈlipɨˈmaɾkɨʃɐmuˈɾĩ]; born 27 January 1985) is a Portugueseprofessional footballmanager and former player who is currently head coach ofPremier League clubManchester United.
As a footballer, Amorim played as amidfielder. He spent most of his professional career withBelenenses andBenfica, signing with the latter in 2008 and going on to win ten major titles, including threeleague titles, oneTaça de Portugal, fiveTaças da Liga and oneSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira. He representedPortugal in twoFIFA World Cups, earning a total of 14caps.
After retiring as a player in 2017, Amorim began his coaching career atCasa Pia in 2018, before resigning that same year amid a dispute with thePortuguese Football Federation (FPF). He was then appointed head coach at Braga's reserve team, popularly known asBraga B, before taking charge of theBraga senior side in December 2019, winning the2020 Taça da Liga.
In March 2020, Amorim was appointed manager ofSporting CP, becoming then thethird most expensive manager ever.[4] In hisfirst season, Amorim guided the club to adouble by winning both the Taça da Liga and the Primeira Liga,[5] ending the latter's 19-year league title drought. These achievements won him thePrimeira Liga's Manager of the Year award for the2020–21 season. He later led them to another Primeira Liga title in the2023–24 season, being named for the second time Primeira Liga's Manager of the Year. He left the club for Manchester United in late 2024.
Amorim began his career withBenfica, playing in the youth team alongsideBruno Simão andPedro Russiano.[6]
After being released by Benfica, Amorim went on trial withBelenenses at the suggestion of Simao, playing with a broken arm.[6]
Amorim made his debut in thePrimeira Liga on 14 December 2003, playing one minute for Belenenses in a 2–0 home win againstAlverca.[7] He played in the2007 Portuguese Cup final for the club.[6]
In late April 2008, Amorim signed a four-year deal with Benfica after his Belenenses contractexpired.[8] Duringhis first season he was a regular starter, scoring his first goal on 23 November in a 2–0 away victory overAcadémica de Coimbra.[9]
Competing with new signingsJavi García andRamires, Amorim appeared less in2009–10, but still featured prominently (24 matches with ten starts) as the side won the league – and theLeague Cup – after a five-year drought. When healthy, he was again regularly used by managerJorge Jesus in the2010–11 season. On 19 January 2011, however, after undergoing surgery on both knees, he was sidelined for several months.[10]
In early October 2011, whilst on duty with thenational team, Amorim criticised Jesus' preferences – Benfica played most of their games without a single Portuguese player.[11] Increasingly disgusted with his plight, in December, he refused to train with the bench players – after warming up for several minutes only to not be used – following a game againstRio Ave, being subjected to the club's disciplinary proceedings;[12][13] on 30 January 2012, a loan was arranged with Braga until June of the following year.[14]
In2013–14, Amorim returned to theEstádio da Luz and played 37 matches across all competitions, helping to win an unprecedenttreble ofleague,Taça de Portugal andTaça da Liga.[15] At the beginning ofthe following campaign, he featured the full 120 minutes to help his teamdefeat Rio Ave in theSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira, thus winning four titles in 2014.[16] On 24 August, however, he got severely injured while playing on anartificial turf atBoavista,[17] with news the next day reporting ananterior cruciate ligament injury;[18] he was sidelined until 11 February 2015, when he featured as asubstitute in a 3–0 home defeat ofVitória de Setúbal inthe semi-finals of the domestic league cup.[19][20]
On 14 August 2015, Amorim joinedAl-Wakrah in Qatar on aseason-long deal.[21] On 4 April 2017, after more than a year of inactivity due to a complete rupture of the cruciate ligament in his right knee, the 32-year-old terminated his contract with Benfica and retired.[22]
Amorim appeared forPortugal at the2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in theNetherlands, as the national side eventually lost toItaly for the final berth forthe following year'sSummer Olympic Games. On 10 May 2010, although not part of the senior squad's list of 23 for the2010 FIFA World Cup,[23][24] he was named in a backup list of six players.[25] On 8 June, he replacedNani after theManchester United player sustained aclavicle injury which ruled him out of the finals in South Africa.[26] His senior debut came on the 15th, as he played the last five minutes of the group stage opener againstIvory Coast (0–0) in the place ofRaul Meireles.[27]
Amorim was also selected by new managerPaulo Bento for the2014 World Cup.[28] He made his debut inthe tournament on 26 June in the last group phase match againstGhana, featuring the full 90 minutes in the 2–1 win but seeing his team eliminated ongoal difference.[29]
Amorim's style was similar to countrymanTiago, with both playing the same position, operating incentral midfield, both defensive and offensive, although he could also be deployed as aright-back orwinger.[30][31]
Shortly after retiring, Amorim joined theLisbon Football Association in order to earn a coaching licence. Additionally, he attended apostgraduation course inpsychomotor education and spent a week-long internship under Manchester United managerJosé Mourinho.[32][33]
Amorim started working as a manager in2018–19, withthird division teamCasa Pia.[34][35] After losing his first two games and, with his pride hurt and doubts setting in, he announced if he lost the third game he would quit. In the next match, he changed his system and played a back three for the first time. With the new system working, Casa Pia embarked on an unbeaten run. He also felt he had found the formation that allowed him to produce the football he wanted.[36] In January 2019, the team were deducted six points and he was suspended from all activity for one year after giving instructions during a match without having the required coaching level to do so;[37] even though the bans were suspended shortly after,[38] he presented his resignation in the aftermath.[39]
On 20 May 2019, Amorim initially agreed to return to Benfica as their under-23 coach.[40] The following month, however, after a meeting at the club, he rejected that possibility.[41]
In mid-September 2019, Amorim was appointed atBraga's reserves in the third tier, winning seven of his eight games, managing them.[42] Three months later, he replaced the dismissedRicardo Sá Pinto at the helm of the first team on a two-and-a-half-year contract, with theMinhotos being eighth place in the league at the time of his appointment.[43]
In his first game in charge on 4 January, he led them to a 7–1 away demolition ofB SAD,[44] and three weeks later won thedomestic league cup final againstPorto with alast-minute goal fromRicardo Horta, Braga's first trophy in four years.[45] In thePrimeira Liga, on 15 February, Amorim recorded Braga's first win away toBenfica in 65 years, withJoão Palhinha scoring the game's only goal.[46] He lost his first point in the league, after Braga drew 2–2 at home toGil Vicente.[47] During this time, he picked up ten wins in 13 games, with Braga being placed third in theleague, he only lost two games for the club, in theround of 16 of the2019–20 UEFA Europa League againstRangers, 3–2 away in the first leg on 20 February, and 1–0 on the return leg at home, a week later.[48]
Amorim becameSporting CP's manager on 4 March 2020 after the sacking ofSilas, signing a deal until 30 June 2023 with a€20 millionbuyout clause.[49] Despite only having two years of top-flight experience, Sporting paid €10 million for his services, the third-highest transfer fee for a manager in history.[50]
In his first game in charge on 8 March, he led them to a 2–0 home win againstDesportivo das Aves.[51] In the rest of the games he took over, Amorim won six and drew three, but lost to Benfica in theLisbon derby andrivalsPorto at the end of the season, guiding Sporting to a fourth-place finish and qualification to theEuropa League third qualifying round.[52] Despite their league finish, Amorim managed to bring a recognisable identity that the club had previously been lacking, despite a toxic atmosphere that had grown around the club since May 2018, after a mob of about 50 club supporters brutally attacked players and staff on the premises ofSporting's training facility.[53]
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In the summer transfer window,Jérémy Mathieu retired after suffering a knee injury in training, and was replaced byZouhair Feddal.[54]Rodrigo Battaglia,Miguel Luís,Luciano Vietto,Wendel andMarcos Acuña departed from the club. Experienced goalkeeperAntonio Adán was brought in as the new first-choice goalkeeper, with other signings includingNuno Santos,Bruno Tabata,Pedro Porro,João Mário andJoão Palhinha, the last returning from his loan at Braga. At the end of the transfer window, Sporting signedPedro Gonçalves, who had impressed in the previous season atFamalicão. Along with the new signings, Amorim promotedDaniel Bragança,Gonçalo Inácio,Matheus Nunes,Nuno Mendes andTiago Tomás to the first-team squad.[54]
"It would be a mistake for us [to be assumed as champions], it has to be game by game [...] when it is mathematically assured, we will be considered candidates"
On 23 January 2021, Amorim won hissecond consecutive league cup final, against his previous club; both he and Braga managerCarlos Carvalhal were sent to the stands for arguing with each other.[5] On 4 March, he renewed his contract for one more year, with an improved release clause of €30 million.[56] Following a national record of a 32-match unbeaten-streak, including on 11 May, a 1–0 home win againstBoavista, he guided the club to their first league title triumph in19 years, with Pedro Gonçalves finishing as the top scorer of the league with 23 goals and six Sporting players being named in thePrimeira Liga Team of the Year.[57] Sporting only had one loss, during the season, being defeated by rivals Benfica 4–3 away in the Lisbon derby on 15 May.[58] At the end of the season, Amorim was namedPrimeira Liga's Manager of the Month in April and thePrimeira Liga's Manager of the Year.[59]
In his second summer transfer window, Amorim identified the defensive areas which required improvement for the squad, with his options being shorter than Sporting's domestic rivals, leadingRicardo Esgaio to return to the club, midfielderManuel Ugarte and defenderRúben Vinagre also being signed. After remaining as a back-up to Antonio Adán,Luís Maximiano was sold to SpanishLa Liga sideGranada, which in turn led to Sporting signingJoão Virgínia.[60][61] At the end of the transfer window, starting left-back Nuno Mendes was loaned toParis Saint-Germain, withPablo Sarabia moving in the other direction.[62]
Amorim began hissecond season at Sporting by winning theSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira, on 31 July 2021, in the 2–1 defeat of his former club Braga.[63] After losing their first two Champions League group games, Sporting won their next three matches, culminating on 24 November when they defeatedBorussia Dortmund 3–1 at home in the penultimate fixture to ensure the club's qualification to theround of 16, for the first time since the2008–09 season.[64][65] On 28 November, Amorim became the fastest manager to win 50 games in thePrimeira Liga, following a 2–0 home win againstTondela.[66] On 3 December, he led his squad to their first victory at theEstádio da Luz in six years, following a 3–1 away defeat of rivals Benfica in the Lisbon derby.[67]
On 29 January 2022, Amorim won histhird consecutive league cup final, in a 2–1 victory against Benfica.[68] Sporting were eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League byManchester City, 5–0 on aggregate, knocked out of the Taça de Portugal in the semi-finals by Porto,[69] and finished the league season on 85 points as the year before, but six points behind aforementioned rival.[70]
Sporting's success inevitably attracted richer clubs in Europe to their players, and the summer transfer window saw an exodus of key players:João Palhinha andMatheus Nunes toPremier League sidesFulham andWolverhampton Wanderers, respectively, and Nuno Mendes completing a permanent move to Paris Saint-Germain, after a one-year loan spell. However, Amorim successfully adapted his side, despite a difficult start to the new season, including a 3–3 away draw to Braga and two consecutive losses to Porto (3–0) andChaves (2–0), with the side being placed 13th in the league table.[71][72] Referring to the departures of both Nunes and Palhinha, claimed he "failed to plan [summer transfer window] and had to pay attention to now, in this end of the market, is to be sure where [Sporting] are going, not to think that [Sporting] have to save now everything that was changed in a one-year planning".[73]
Despite their league form, on 7 September, Sporting won in Germany for the first time in their history, beatingEuropa League championsEintracht Frankfurt 3–0 in their first group stage match of the2022–23 UEFA Champions League,[74] followed by surprising victory at home overTottenham Hotspur in their next fixture.[75] The following group stages matches, were marked by two individual errors from Antonio Adán andRicardo Esgaio, which saw them lose twice toMarseille 4–1 and 2–0, respectively, with Esgaio coming through to a lot of scrutiny, from the club supporters, which led to Amorim defend him, saying: "He's not one of the fans' favorite players, but he's one of mine. As long as I am here, I will protect him as much as possible. He will never be abandoned by the manager and as long as I'm here there's nothing you can do to Esgaio".[76][77] Both losses, were followed by a surprise elimination from thethird round of theTaça de Portugal toLiga 3 sideVarzim, after a narrow 1–0 loss.[78] After losing 2–1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on 1 November, Sporting finished third in thegroup stage, which put them in theEuropa Leagueknockout round play-offs.[79]
Despite a difficult league season, Amorim guided Sporting to their third and Amorim'sfourth consecutive league cup final, where they lost 2–0 to Porto inLeiria, who won tournament for the first time.[80] Shortly after, the club also featured the departure of Pedro Porro to Tottenham Hotspur on 31 January 2023, the deadline day of the winter transfer window.[81] In theEuropa League, Amorim led Sporting to thequarter-finals, following a surprise victory over favouritesArsenal on penalties, after drawing 3–3 on aggregate inLondon.[82] They were eliminated in the following round, after losing toJuventus 2–1 on aggregate at home.[83] Following a 2–2 home draw with Benfica in the Primeira Liga, despite leading 2–0 at half-time, Sporting missed out on Champions League qualification and qualified to the Europa League, after a 4th-place finish in the league. After failing to qualify for the Champions League, he admitted that he put his position at risk, despite having the trust of the club's president, who labelled him as 'one of the best coaches in the world', citing the poor planning of the season, especially the departure of Matheus Nunes to Wolverhampton Wanderers as one of the factors for the failure of the objectives.[84]
During the summer transfer window of 2023, Sporting broke the club's transfer record by signingCoventry City strikerViktor Gyökeres for €20 million.[85][86] On 12 August, Sporting opened their2023–24 campaign with a 3–2 league victory at home toVizela, with Sporting's record signing Gyökeres scoring a brace.[87] Amorim's team lost the Lisbon derby against Benfica away by two late goals atstoppage time on 12 November after Sporting's one-goal halftime lead from a Viktor Gyökeres goal, despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men for practically the whole of the second half.[88][89] But on 18 December, Amorim's Sporting defeated Porto at theEstádio José Alvalade by 2–0, with goals from Gyökeres andPedro Gonçalves, to end Sporting's eight-game straight winless run against Porto in the Primeira Liga.[90] The win also resulted in Sporting overtaking their rivals Benfica at the top of the table.[91]
Amorim led Sporting to their biggest Primeira Liga margin of victory since 2018, following of an 8–0 thrashing ofCasa Pia, their second of the season, following a similar score against Dumiense atTaça de Portugal, early in the season.[92] Over the following months, Amorim was heavily linked to take over as the new manager of EnglishPremier League clubLiverpool, following the departure of long-serving managerJürgen Klopp and when previous favouriteXabi Alonso publicly announced he was staying atBayer Leverkusen amid interest before the role ultimately went to thenFeyenoord coachArne Slot.[93][94][95] On 2 April 2024, Amorim led Sporting to the Taça de Portugal final by drawing 2–2 away at Benfica, resulting in a 4–3 aggregate win, and secured Sporting a stoppage time 2–1 home win in the league four days later, to increase their lead at the top of the table.[96]
Shortly after, Amorim went on a trip to London to negotiate withWest Ham United to take over as their new manager for next season, with then managerDavid Moyes being set to leave. However, Amorim refused the offer, and ahead of an important league match with Porto, he publicly apologised for the trip, deeming it a mistake and that the timing was wrong. The match against Porto on 29 April ended in a 2–2, with Sporting being two goals down at halftime and Viktor Gyökeres scoring goals in the 87th and 88th minutes.[97] On 5 May, Sporting mathematically secured their 20th Primeira Liga title, and second title under Amorim, following Benfica's defeat toFamalicão.[98] Afterwards, during the club's title celebration, Amorim confirmed he would continue as manager of Sporting for the next season.[97] In theTaça de Portugal final, on 26 May, Sporting were defeated by Porto 2–1 inextra-time.[99]
Amorim adopted a small change to his tactics for thenew season, with his team being more dominant in possession and with a big emphasis on high pressing, compared to his pragmatic approach used in his previous seasons managing the club.[100] The summer transfer window, saw the departure ofclub captainSebastián Coates, with Sporting signed ball playing centre-backZeno Debast to replace him, Amorim also promotedGeovany Quenda to the first-team squad, playing him as aright wing-back, despite being a naturalright winger andMorten Hjulmand was also promoted as the new club captain. Sporting also brought inConrad Harder as a signing for the future to develop under Amorim and to serve as back-up striker for Viktor Gyökeres.[101][102][103] In his first match of the new season, on 3 August, Sporting suffered a 4–3 loss to rivals Porto in the2024 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, despite leading the game by three goals.[104] The following months, he was mentioned as a possible successor toPep Guardiola at Manchester City, when Sporting'sdirector of footballHugo Viana replacedTxiki Begiristain as City's director of football.[100][105]
On 29 October, following the dismissal of Manchester United managerErik ten Hag, Sporting confirmed that the English club were set to trigger Amorim's €10 million release clause. After guiding Sporting to a 3–1 victory overNacional in thequarter-finals of theTaça da Liga,[106] he addressed United's interest saying, "It's a negotiation between two clubs. It's never easy, even with the [release] clauses. They have to talk. We will have clarification after the game [againstEstrela da Amadora], it will be clear. So it's one more day and after the game tomorrow, we will have a decision made".[107][108]
After the two clubs agreed on a fee for Amorim's departure, in his last home match for the club, on 5 November, he led Sporting to a 4–1 home win against Manchester City, marking the third time that a team managed by Pep Guardiola conceded four goals in aUEFA Champions League match.[109] In the2024–25 Primeira Liga, Amorim's Sporting won their first ten matches to move three points clear at the top of the table, his side also led the league for most goals scored and least goals conceded. Amorim was named Primeira Liga Manager of the Month for three consecutive months in August, September and October.[110][111] On 10 November, he managed his final match for Sporting, leading his team to a 4–2 victory against his former club Braga, after being two goals down at halftime. This win allowed Amorim to match the best league start in the club's history, with 11 consecutive victories. The achievement equalled the record set byMarinho Peres during the 1990–91 season.[112] Amorim was succeeded byJoão Pereira, whom he met in Benfica's youth teams[113] and later managed in Sporting during the latter's final season as a player.[114][115]
On 1 November 2024,Premier League clubManchester United announced they had appointed Amorim as new head coach on a contract running until 2027, and that he would begin his tenure at the club on 11 November.[116][117]
Amorim's debut was a 1–1 away draw withIpswich Town on 24 November.[118] Four days later, he secured his first win as Manchester United head coach againstBodø/Glimt in theUEFA Europa Leagueleague stage.[119] On 1 December, Amorim won his first game in the Premier League againstEverton, beating them 4–0 atOld Trafford.[120] On 15 December, Amorim became the first Manchester United manager to win his firstManchester derby sinceAlex Ferguson in a 2–1 away win againstManchester City.[121]
On 19 January 2025, Amorim labelled his team as "probably the worst team in the history" of the club after their 3–1 defeat toBrighton in thePremier League.[122][123] The defeat was the club's fourth in its past five games atOld Trafford.[124] Towards the end of the season, United's league form collapsed, earning just four points from their final six matches, leaving them mathematically confirmed to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table. Amorim's only remaining hope to salvage the season came in theUEFA Europa League, where on 21 May, he led United to thefinal againstTottenham Hotspur, where the winner would earn a place in the following season'sUEFA Champions League, while the loser would be left without European football entirely. At the match, United were defeated 1–0, compounding a disappointing season that saw them lose to Tottenham Hotspur for the fourth time that season. With no trophies, no European qualification, and a string of heavy defeats, Amorim's first season ended in failure, being widely condemned by the media as one of the worst campaigns in Manchester United's history.[125][126]
On 27 August 2025, United exited theEFL Cup againstEFL League Two sideGrimsby Town after a shock 12–11 defeat on penalties, after the game finished 2–2 at full time. Grimsby Town went up 2–0 at half time.[127] Later that year, on 20 October, Amorim coached United's first away win atAnfield against arch-rivalsLiverpool since 2016, emerging victorious 2–1.[128] With United also winning againstBrighton andSunderland in October, Amorim won his firstPremier League Manager of the Month award.[129]
Amorim is known for his communication skills and tactical knowledge.[130] Exuding a positive outlook and a laid-back, conciliatory demeanor, Amorim has consistently emphasised that he refrains from engaging in discussions about referees with the media.[131][132][133][134] Described as being "transparent and straightforward", he rarely gives interviews outside of his contracted duties and always credits his players for his achievements rather than talking up his own credentials.[32] At Sporting CP, he built a collective spirit that made every player feel like a vital thread in the fabric of the club. Amorim's approach is rooted in a belief that a squad must function as more than a sum of its parts; it must breathe as one. He treats his players as people first, athletes second. At Sporting, his leadership style fostered a sense of camaraderie that went beyond the locker room; it extended into the lives of his players.[135]
Amorim considersJorge Jesus as his teacher, mentor, and one of his main influences. Amorim played under Jesus for close to a decade at Belenenses and Benfica. He also considersJosé Mourinho as one of his biggest mentors and has displayed an admiration forPep Guardiola.[136] Amorim himself said, "There are coaches who have a way of watching the game that I like, like Guardiola, but for me, the role model is Mourinho, because I watch the ball in a way that's more similar to [Mourinho], that is, he analyses the opponents very well and sets his team up, not just with a certain style of play but thinking a lot about how to adapt to win."[137]
"His playing style is clearly pragmatic. He is a studious coach with the capacity for work and a lot of intuition. He is contagious with his will to win [...] and with the conviction that only with hard work from everyone is this possible."[138][54]
During his tenure with Sporting CP beginning in March 2020, Amorim primarily played a3–4–3, a system he adopted during his tenure at Casa Pia and Braga, with two midfielders, usuallyJoão Palhinha andMatheus Nunes, and later,Morten Hjulmand andHidemasa Morita in the following seasons, being responsible for protecting the defense, and emphasise the attacking capabilities of the wing-backs, likePedro Porro andNuno Mendes at first, and laterGeny Catamo.[139][54][140] When defending in a low block, Sporting's players stay behind the line of the box in order to keep a compact shape, prevent any potential shots from the edge of the box, and limit attacking opportunities. Amorim's team utilises an intense pressing style and attempts to win the ball back in the final third.[54][140]
Amorim's team use interchanging movements to distract the opposing defenders and create space for the attackers to exploit.[54][140] They focus on exploiting the wings and half-spaces (with players likePedro Gonçalves playing inside withPablo Sarabia andNuno Santos sticking to the left side of the attack).[54][140] Thenumber 9, firstlyPaulinho and thenGyökeres after the signing of the Swede in 2023, is the only player who tends to act in terms of pressing the ball and slowing the progression of the opposition, looking to create a space in the defensive line of the opposition that can be quickly attacked, in order to allow the man in possession initially to look for a vertical passing option. Amorim has also a 3–4–3 diamond formation with three mobile defenders; plus one more covering space – becoming, in effect, a defensive midfielder, two "controlling" midfielders with responsibilities to feed the attack-minded players, one second striker, two touchline-hugging wingers and one versatile centre forward.[54][140]
Amorim is often credited with rejuvenating Sporting CP by promoting young talents, instilling a winning mentality, and developing a versatile and cohesive style of play.[141] José Mourinho insisted that "Amorim would never change his approach regardless of the opposition and his tactics provide depth for the wingers and the striker", leading to describe Amorim's style as "always intense".[142]
Former Estoril head coach stated that Amorim's teams reflect his work ethic, with "he is always trying to improve his players [...] works with young talent but also with experienced players as well and what they all have in common is that they fight [...] I think he wins a lot with his communication, his message is clear and it is easy to understand. The players connect with him easily. Even on the outside, for the reporters and the public, it is really simple and really concrete".[143]
In April 2023, Manchester United player and fellow compratriotBruno Fernandes praised Amorim's management style, believing that his skill set is adaptable to leagues outside of Portugal and had all the qualities "to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football".[137] Amorim was described byGuillem Balagué ofBBC Sport as a coach who's "still adding layers of knowledge to his methods but he still believes football only makes sense if those watching are thrilled by it".[137]
Amorim's parents divorced when he was a year old.[144] Amorim's cousins,David Simão andBruno Simão, are also professional footballers.[145] He is godfather to Bruno Simão's eldest daughter.[6]
Amorim has two children.[146] He is married to Maria João Diogo and they have one son together. Their wedding took place at the Palácio e Mosteiro de São Marcos (Saint Mark Palace and Monastery) inCoimbra.[144] Maria João Diogo has an academic degree intelecommunications engineering and has built her own business ininterior design.[144] She is the sister-in-law of Antero Henrique, former sporting director ofParis Saint-Germain and responsible for the most expensive transfer ever, the transfer of footballerNeymar to the French football club for €222 million in 2017.[147][148][149] Another sister of Maria João Diogo's, Inês, is married to a former Braga, Sporting CP and Benfica footballer,Luís Filipe.[150][151]
| Club | Season | League | Taça de Portugal | Taça da Liga | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Belenenses | 2003–04 | Primeira Liga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Primeira Liga | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | Primeira Liga | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 | 3 | ||
| 2006–07 | Primeira Liga | 23 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Primeira Liga | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | – | 32 | 0 | ||
| Total | 96 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 5 | ||
| Benfica | 2008–09 | Primeira Liga | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | – | 35 | 2 | |
| 2009–10 | Primeira Liga | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10[b] | 0 | – | 38 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Primeira Liga | 17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9[e] | 0 | – | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Primeira Liga | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 95 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 154 | 6 | ||
| Benfica B | 2014–15 | Segunda Liga | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | – | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Braga (loan) | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | Primeira Liga | 22 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7[c] | 0 | – | 36 | 5 | ||
| Total | 30 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 5 | ||
| Al-Wakrah (loan) | 2015–16 | Qatar Stars League | 14 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 2 | ||||
| Career total | 237 | 15 | 25 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 322 | 18 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal[154] | 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 0 | |
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Casa Pia | 1 July 2018 | 7 January 2019 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 075.00 | [citation needed] |
| Braga B | 16 September 2019 | 23 December 2019 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 072.73 | [citation needed] |
| Braga | 23 December 2019 | 4 March 2020 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 076.92 | [citation needed] |
| Sporting CP | 4 March 2020 | 10 November 2024 | 231 | 164 | 34 | 33 | 071.00 | [citation needed] |
| Manchester United | 11 November 2024 | Present | 55 | 21 | 14 | 20 | 038.18 | [155] |
| Career total | 314 | 206 | 51 | 57 | 065.61 | |||
Benfica
Braga
Braga
Sporting CP
Manchester United
Individual
Portugal squads | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
