Artur Jorge, the former Portuguese coach who symbolized the Canal+ years of the Paris Saint-Germain team, and with whom he won the French Championship in 1994, has died at the age of 78, his family and the club announced Thursday.
His family said in a press statement: “It is with great sadness that the family of Artur Jorge Braga de Melo Teixeira announces his death this morning in Lisbon after a long illness. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.” According to Portuguese media.
Artur Jorge, former Portuguese international striker, as coach of FC Porto won the Champion Clubs Cup (predecessor of the Champions League) in 1987 against Bayern Munich (2-1).
He also coached the Portuguese national team and Benfica Lisbon in particular, and was on the Parisian bench from 1991 to 1994 and then for a few months in 1998-1999.
Paris Saint-Germain praised the “man with the famous moustache” and “the cultured and French-speaking man.”
Portuguese Arthur Jorge, during a training session for Paris Saint-Germain, December 8, 1998 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye / Jacques Demarthon / AFP/Archives
“Artur Jorge is the greatest coach I have ever known,” replied Michel Deniso, former Paris Saint-Germain president. “Educated, erudite, passionate, strategic, uncompromising… With him Paris Saint-Germain grew very quickly.”
The Canal+ group, which had just bought the club in 1991 with the aim of making it a rival to Olympique de Marseille, poached Artur Jorge from his club Porto.
On his orders, the team of Le Guin, Ricardo, Ginola, then Lama, Roche and Weah won the French Cup in 1993 and then the first division championship in 1994.
The Portuguese Football League said that it was “saddened to learn of the death of Artur Jorge, the former Portuguese international player who distinguished himself as a player and coach for Porto, Benfica and Academica.”
With Benfica, he won four league titles as a player. A prolific scorer (215 goals in 316 matches), he participated in 16 matches with Portugal.
The club, which won three league titles under Jorge, said on its website: “FC Porto mourns the loss of one of the greatest figures in its history.”
