Statement regarding Paulo Leitão

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD has reached a mutual agreement with Paulo Leitão, youth football coordinator, for the termination of his contract.

Sporting SAD wishes Paulo Leitão the best of personal and professional success.

Luís Martins for position of Technical Director for Youth Football

Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD has hired Luís Martins for the position of Technical Director for Youth Football.

Luís Martins was himself a player in Sporting's youth system. He hold a degree in Physical and Sport Education, a Post-Graduate qualification in High Performance Training and a Masters in Collective Sports. He has coached Sporting's under-17 team, as well as the 2004/05 championship winning under-19 team. He was named assistant coach for the first team in 2004/05 and took over the under-19 team in 2005/06 and went on to win the national title.

Martins also has a name for himself internationally, having coaches Saudi Arabia's Olympic Team. He has also coached Al Ahli Jeddah, Tottenham and Zenit.

Sporting SAD wishes Luís Martins the best of professional and personal success.

South African city to host international under-19 tournament

The South African city of Durban will host the DURBAN U19 international football tournament from the 27th to the 7th of August, with teams including Arsenal, Rangers and Sporting in action.

Sporting will initially face Golden Arrows, Arsenal and KZN Academy and could go on to face TP Mazembe, Fluminense, SA U19 or Rangers should the Alvalade youngsters progress to the next round.  

DURBAN U19 fixtures:
 

Golden Arrows x Sporting CP – 27th of July at 16h;

Arsenal x Sporting CP – 30th of July at 16h30;

KZN Academy x Sporting CP – 1st of August at 16h30.

Partnership between Sporting CP and Proforce focusing on youth talent in India

The second round of the DreamChasers recruitment programme designed by Sporting in partnership with Proforce gets underway at the weekend, as part of a drive to boost youth football talent in India. A total of 250 players from the age of 8 to 14, selected out of a group of one thousand, will be in action on Saturday on Sunday, with 15 places up for grabs at the end of the weekend.

The project will see the chosen players join a residential programme for give years, under the guidance of Sporting's coaches at Kolhapur's Dr. Cyrus Poonawala International School. There will of course be a chance to visit the Sporting Academy in Lisbon too!

Portugal gearing up for European Championship

A total of five Sporting players will feature in the preliminary under-17 Portuguese squad for a coming training camp.

Goalkeeper Luís Maximiano, defenders João Oliveira and Thierry Correia, midfielder Miguel Luís and Rafael Leão are the five who will be under the command of coach Sousa on the 25th of April to the 1st of May.

Portugal will tak part in Group A of this year's European Championships, along with Azerbeijan, Scotland and Belgium.

Gonçalo Vieira, Bruno Paz, Pedro Ferreira and João Mendes all to feature for Portugal

A total of four Sporting players will join up with the Portuguese national under-18 team for a coming training camp this month, in preparation for June's Lisbon International Tournament.

The defender Gonçalo Vieira and midfielders Bruno Paz, Pedro Ferreira and João Mendes are the quartet included by coach José Guilherme.

Portugal tally second in Porto International Tournament

The national under-16 team beat Norway 1-0 this week, on matchday 2 of the 34th Porto International Tournament, taking place in the Póvoa do Varzim International Tournament. Romário Baró strike for Portugal, five minutes after the half-hour mark.

Sporting youngsters Filipe Semedo (goalkeeper) and Diogo Brás and Tiago Rodrigues (forwards) featured in Filipe Ramos' starting line-up, while Bernardo Sousa (midfield) came on in the second-half for Romário Baró.

The result means that Portugal need just a point of Switzerland on Sunday to win the trophy, after having already beaten Hungary 1-0.

Under-13 coach Pedro Coelho and skipper Armando Silva on Pontinha win

Speaking at the end of his side's XXXV Pontinha International Tournament win, Sporting's under-13 coach Pedro Coelho proved satisfied with what is Alvalade's 10th time claiming the silverware.

“We had to work hard, but it was a fair win, especially considering hwo we have played. We were the most consistent team, although of course the lads were a bit nervous. That is only normal at this age. We had a lot of chances, three or four with only the keeper to beat, and maybe a bit of nerves got in thr way. This win started on Thursday, but the work we have been putting in all season was really important", said Coelho at the conclusion of the tournament.

Under-13 captain Armando Silva was also happy with the win: "We are all really satisfied. We had a good tournament and we fought hard right up until the end. We believed in ourselves and we did it."

Alvalade youngsters lift trophy for third consecutive year

Sporting's under-13 team beat the Spanish side Cordoba to win the XXXV Pontinha International Tournament this weekend, with a penalty shootout win after a 0-0 draw at full time. This is the 10th time, and third consecutively, that Sporting has won the prestigious competition. The Alvalade youngers finished with six wins in six displays, scoring a total of 21 goals without conceding once. Sporting dominated the Portuguese XI, with a total of five athletes in action.

Sporting beat FC Porto 3-0 on the way to the final, after dominating their group with eighteen goals.

Tournament results in full

Final

SPORTING CP-Cordoba, 0-0 (3-2, pens.)

3rd and 4th

FC Porto-Benfica, 0-2

Semi-final

Cordoba-Benfica, 0-0 (3-2, pens.)

SPORTING-FC Porto, 3-0

Saturday

Santa Clara-Benfica, 0-9

FC Lissois-SPORTING, 0-8

Rec. Huelva-CA Cultural, 10-0

FC Porto-Nacional, 6-1

Friday

Nacional-CA Cultural, 7-0

Rec. Huelva-Cordoba, 0-3

SPORTING-Benfica, 1-0

Santa Clara-Getafe, 0-6

FC Porto-Cordoba, 0-1

Nacional-Rec. Huelva, 0-2

FC Lissois-Getafe, 0-6

SPORTING-Santa Clara, 7-0

Thursday

Benfica-FC Lissois, 10-0

Getafe-SPORTING, 0-2

CA Cultural-FC Porto, 1-8

Córdoba-Nacional, 2-1

Benfica-Getafe, 3-1

Santa Clara-FC Lissois, 0-0

CA Cultural-Cordoba, 0-7

Rec. Huelva-FC Porto, 0-0

Portugal open Euro qualifiers with dominating display

The national under-19 team opened their Euro Elite Round campaign off to a convincing start this week with a 4-0 win against Sweden in Vila do Conde.

With Alvalade stars Pedro Silva and Pedro Empis in the starting line-up, Portugal were already 3-0 up at half-time, courtesy of Alexandre Silva (13’) and Buta (23’ and 24’). Gonçalo Rodrigues finished off the scoresheet in the 64th minute.

The winner of each group will qualify for the Euro finals, to be played in Germany.