The Ball – “Coming to work in Portugal was one of the best decisions of my life” (Benfica)

Roger Schmidt was one of the guests at the Thinking Football Summit 2022 in Lisbon. The German coach, who is largely responsible for Benfica’s undefeated journey in the 2022/23 season, spoke of Portuguese football, commitment to Portuguese coaching and culture.

First impressions of Portuguese football:

“I already had an opinion because I’ve played against Portuguese teams in the Champions League and Europa League many times and it’s always been complicated matches. I have an open mind and when I go to work in a different country I’m interested in the culture in general and the football culture in that country. That’s one of the reasons I You make me enjoy working abroad.First, I wanted to get information about my team, the players, their mentality and way of working.Then, at the beginning of the season, I also got to know other teams.We always analyze our opponents, game by game, and the way of playing becomes more clear.Five months later, My first impression was that this is a difficult league compared to others I’ve worked with. Preparing for each match is a challenge in itself, but sometimes we also get surprised during the game because the team style is different than what we’ve prepared. I also realized that, on a defensive level, against teams that aren’t on The level of Benfica or FC Porto or Sporting, they are still well organized defensively and tough teams.”

Differences between the Portuguese championships and other championships:

“It is difficult to buy championships and teams as well. I think the teams we play in Portugal always think they have a chance to win. They are not happy just because they lost by a few goals. Then it all depends on how the game goes. If you score first it’s easier, otherwise it gets more complicated because the teams are well organized defensively, very far and close to the area. In other countries, when you play lower ranked teams, you really get the feeling that they don’t think they can win. I think that’s the main difference.”

Opportunities for young people:

“Benfica’s philosophy is to develop youngsters to play in the first team and, if they are good enough, sell and get money to keep the team competitive in European competitions. I think it’s a good philosophy because having young players in the first team is an added value for all clubs. It is a form of identification for the club and also for the fans. At Benfica, everyone wants to see youngsters in the youth team in the first team. At least some of it, of course, not all. If we want to reach more advanced stages in the Champions League, we can’t just play with young players. It’s going to be tough. But getting some is a positive thing that makes me happy, too. I think this should be a goal for all clubs. Some can’t. But for Benfica, like other clubs in Portugal and Europe, it is a strong sign of club culture. That’s one of the qualities that made me want to come and work with these young players.”

Portuguese league growth:

Get into the top 4 or top 5? I think Portugal is a great country, but it is small, with a population of 10 million and fewer young players compared to other countries. In Germany, for example, we have 70 million. I think Portugal is currently in a good position in European football. And I think it continues to evolve. This year we came close to having three Portuguese teams in the knockout stage of the Champions League. This is when we see clubs like Barcelona fail for the second year in a row. What is happening in Portugal is positive, but there is always room for improvement. The competitiveness of the Portuguese championship helps to improve performance in European competitions. If the big teams continue to compete at the international level – SC Braga is doing a good job – in my opinion, it will always be difficult for Portuguese teams to face them.

culture:

“I feel very welcome, the Portuguese culture is very friendly, and there is positive energy in the country, especially in Lisbon, where I spend more time. Coming to work in Portugal was one of the best decisions of my life.”

Self analysis:

“On a day-to-day basis, as a person I’m just a coach. I don’t try to be different, it’s important in football to be like yourself. When you try to play a role, it becomes more complicated. I try to enjoy football because I enjoyed it as a player. And I want to enjoy it.” I know for that you have to be successful and in Benfica it means winning titles.But I like to be on the field every day with the players, with the technical team and to put on a good game at the weekend that makes the fans proud.That’s who I am, I don’t I never intend to be more than that. I try to guide every player, but behind every player there is also a human being. I try to see that part. Players have to get their best performance, and for that they have to feel happy and in a good mood.”