Portuguese and Parisian supporters are in mourning. Portuguese technician Artur Jorge died at the age of 78, after a long illness. “It is with deep sadness that the family of Artur Jorge Braga de Melo Teixeira announces his death this morning in Lisbon, after a long illness. He died peacefully, surrounded by his closest family,” we read in a press release sent by his family.
Artur Jorge notably experienced ups and downs in Paris. Two failures: The Matra version of Lagardère and the PSG of Biétry, from which it had been disembarked after a few months. But also successes: PSG from the Denisot era with a French championship title in 1994 and a Coupe de France in 1993. That year, the first coach of the Canal era led the capital club to the semi-finals. -UEFA Cup finals, beaten by Juventus. Under his orders, the men of the capital had brought down Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. An unforgettable feat for Parisian supporters.
However, Ginola’s teammates suffered a scathing 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. On their return, on March 18, 1993, they overthrew the Spaniards 4-1. Trailing 3-0, the Madrilenians snatched extra time with a goal from Zamorano in the 92nd minute. Cold shower, then boiling stadium, when, in the 96th minute, Valdo placed the ball on Antoine Kombouaré’s winning header. The Parc des Princes exulted. Weah, Valdo and therefore Kombouaré had changed the destiny of PSG that day. The legend of “Casque d’Or” was born.
Good results which did not always make him a popular coach. He was criticized for his very cautious tactics.
“The press said we had a bad team. », he told us when he returned to the Paris region to coach Créteil in Ligue 2 from 2006 to 2007. Jorge remained an atypical personality in the world of football. This child of the lower middle class of Lisbon had a reputation – justified – as an intellectual. He spoke seven languages, earned a degree in German philology, and published a collection of poetry in his youth. Enlightened fan of Mondrian, Pollock, crazy about jazz, he loved hanging out in museums. Had he dreamed of being an artist? “No, not at all,” he smiled. Football above all.
An international striker in the 1960s, he ended his career in 1977, before starting his coaching career in 1980. He notably led Porto to the title of European champion in 1987, in addition to three championship titles. Portuguese champions with this same team. After the glorious page of PSG, the second part of his career was less brilliant. Adventurer, mercenary, some would say, he has had many fleeting experiences, coached in nine different countries and managed three national teams.
His last experience will remain that of MC Alger from 2014 to 2015, which he joined seven years after the end of his experience in Créteil. During our interview in 2007, the Portuguese had shaved his famous mustache. Enough to destabilize the interlocutor as she was so emblematic of the character. “It was the children who asked me to cut it. We’re changing,” he said concisely with a slight smile.
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