António Jesus Explained

Fullname:António Jesus Pereira
Birth Date:11 February 1955
Birth Place:Espinho, Portugal
Death Place:Espinho, Portugal
Height:1.73 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthyears1:1970–1971
Youthclubs1:Espinho
Youthyears2:1971–1973
Youthclubs2:Porto
Years1:1973–1974
Years2:1974–1976
Years3:1976–1978
Caps3:14
Goals3:0
Years4:1978–1981
Caps4:76
Goals4:0
Years5:1981–1988
Caps5:139
Goals5:0
Years6:1988–1989
Caps6:36
Goals6:0
Years7:1989–1990
Caps7:27
Goals7:0
Years8:1990–1993
Caps8:71
Goals8:0
Years9:1993–1994
Caps9:20
Goals9:0
Totalcaps:383
Totalgoals:0
Nationalyears1:1987
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:0
Manageryears1:1989
Managerclubs1:Leixões
Manageryears2:1993–1994
Managerclubs2:Fafe
Manageryears3:1994
Managerclubs3:Chaves
Manageryears4:1994–1995
Managerclubs4:Marítimo
Manageryears5:1995–1996
Managerclubs5:Paços Ferreira
Manageryears6:1996–2000
Managerclubs6:Covilhã
Manageryears7:2000
Managerclubs7:Operário
Manageryears8:2000–2001
Managerclubs8:Chaves
Manageryears9:2001–2002
Managerclubs9:Machico
Manageryears10:2002–2003
Managerclubs10:Espinho
Manageryears11:2003–2004
Managerclubs11:Estarreja
Manageryears12:2005–2006
Managerclubs12:Lusitânia
Manageryears13:2006–2008
Managerclubs13:Benfica Castelo Branco
Manageryears14:2008–2010
Managerclubs14:Tondela
Manageryears15:2010
Managerclubs15:Espinho

António Jesus Pereira (11 February 1955 – 27 September 2010), known as Jesus, was a Portuguese football goalkeeper and manager.

Club career

Born in Espinho, Jesus finished his youth career at FC Porto, but never appeared for the team as a senior. After a couple of seasons with S.C. Beira-Mar (his first in the Primeira Liga) he signed for Varzim SC, then Vitória de Guimarães after three more years in the top flight.

With the Minho side, Jesus acted as backup in his first seasons, but was the undisputed starter in his last three, helping Vitória to finish third – 30 matches played and only 22 goals conceded, a competition-best – and reach the quarter-finals in the UEFA Cup in 1986–87,[1] [2] also appearing in the following year's Taça de Portugal final, lost 1–0 to his former club Porto.[3] He left in 1988, spending one top-division campaign apiece with Leixões S.C. and G.D. Chaves, being relegated with the former but finishing fifth with the latter.[4] [5] [1]

The 35-year-old Jesus returned to Vitória in the summer of 1990, taking part in all 38 league games in his debut campaign but subsequently being second-choice. He retired in 1994 at the age of 39 after one year with former side Chaves in the Segunda Liga, having made 363 appearances in Portugal's top tier over 16 seasons.[1] [4]

Already as an active player, Jesus started working as a manager, also being player-coach at Leixões (three matches) and Chaves (11). His subsequent career was almost exclusively spent in divisions two and three, but he led C.S. Marítimo to the seventh position in the top flight in 1994–95; additionally, he spent the 2004–05 season as Guimarães' goalkeeper coach.[1] [4]

International career

After practically all of the Portugal national team defected following the infamous Saltillo Affair at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Jesus was chosen by managers Juca and Ruy Seabra as his starter for the UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying campaign. He made his debut on 4 February 1987 at the age of 32, in a 1–0 friendly home win over Belgium.[6] [7]

Death

On 27 September 2010, around 20:00, Jesus was returning home from a training session with his local club S.C. Espinho. Suddenly, he fell to the ground after suffering a heart attack, being rushed to the hospital but dying shortly after aged 55.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Morreu António Jesus antigo jogador do Vitória. Death of former Vitória player António Jesus. Guimarães Digital. pt. 27 September 2010. 15 December 2023.
  2. News: Morreu Marinho Peres, o timoneiro de um Vitória inesquecível. Death of Marinho Peres, helmsman of unforgettable Vitória. Jornal de Guimarães. Tiago. Mendes Dias. pt. 19 September 2023. 15 December 2023.
  3. Web site: Taça a preto e branco. Cup in black and white. Mais Guimarães. pt. 15 December 2023.
  4. Web site: António Jesus. SAPO. pt. 10 June 2008. 15 December 2023.
  5. News: O interior de Portugal ainda mora na I Liga: Desportivo de Chaves regressa à primeira divisão "para ficar para sempre". Inner Portugal still lives in I League: Desportivo de Chaves return to first division "to stay there forever". Expresso. pt. 30 May 2022. 15 December 2023.
  6. Web site: Lista completa dos internacionais portugueses. Complete list of Portuguese internationals. Mais Futebol. pt. 18 February 2004. 15 December 2023.
  7. Web site: Ruy Seabra, selecionador pós-Saltillo: "Nunca dei um treino". Ruy Seabra, post-Saltillo national team manager: "I never coached in my life". Mais Futebol. João Tiago. Figueiredo. Pedro Jorge. Cunha. pt. 25 May 2016. 15 December 2023.