Soccer: when Luís Campos, PSG's new sports consultant, was still a coach

Luís Campos spent the last day of the rest of his life in soccer on April 3, 2005, at the age of 40. An anonymous 27th day of the Primeira Liga championship. And an exit he also chose, if not to wish it away. In front of the press, the coach of Beira Mar, who had just been beaten by another low-ranked team, was fatalistic: "This match is in line with what we've been this season: inconsistent and unlucky. We played good soccer for most of the game, but all of a sudden we collapsed like a house of cards. I tendered my resignation. "In the dressing room, he had already alluded to the players. Luís Campos is not a man to hang on to a job if he feels the planets are no longer aligned.

Career behind the scenes

The rest of his career, this time forged behind the scenes in scouting, transfers and group management, will confirm this. A familiar face on the Ligue1 landscape, the Portuguese is perceived as an outstanding architect and builder of champions (Monaco 2017, Lille 2021). PSG signed him up this summer to climb to the top of Europe. A winning image that contrasts with that left back home by coach Campos. Here, the most relentless observers will end up nicknaming him "Campas", which means funerals. Alluding to the 2003 relegations of Setúbal and Varzim, the two teams he coached during the year.

When I recruited him, I knew he was a committed coach who embodied a new generation of coaches.

There's the background, which has left little room for feasting and marching up the rankings, according to twelve years as head coach. A first half to sharpen up in D2, a second in the elite, but rarely ending a season where he started it. And then there's the form, the style, more recognized. If Campos drove mainly small cars, they didn't play with the handbrake on. Rather, they were determined to defend high and deploy in numbers. When I recruited him, I knew he was a committed coach who embodied a new generation," recalls João Magalhães, the former president of Gil Vicente, who opened the door to D1 in November 2000. My counterpart at Penafiel recommended him to me. He had described him as a fine psychologist with the players, and I felt that this was essential if we were to maintain our position. Campos also knew how to build a team. He had an eye for putting the right player in the best position, and he deserved his chance at the highest level.

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It almost showed up once. At the end of 2002, a Benfica in crisis seriously considered poaching him from Vitória Setúbal. A club with whom the adventure ended in disaster shortly afterwards, in the heart of that famous season of misfortune. The next one has a flash in the pan. Back at Gil Vicente, Campos dominated José Mourinho's Porto, then virtually unbeatable and soon to be Champions League winners. That day, he said that the first thing he did when he got back to the dressing room was to call his wife and tell her to play EuroMillions, he felt so lucky," rewinds Maisfutebol journalist Sérgio Pereira. With the media, he was quite cordial and open. But since he's been operating in France, he's only given three or four interviews to the Portuguese press."

Closeness to the players

Luís Filipe Hipólito Reis Pedrosa Campos's roots are in the north of the country and on the Atlantic coast, in Fão. A large family with nine children, rather privileged and immersed in soccer. Albino the father, a teacher and school principal, founded the village club. Luís went on to gain experience at AD Esposende, just next door. But when he joined the Instituto Superior de Educação Física in Porto, he knew that his future lay more in coaching. From PE teacher to physical trainer, he quickly made the leap to the Espinho side at the age of 24. He was even younger than some of the players when he was handed the keys to União de Leiria (D2) at the age of 29.

Close in age, and close at all. This comment is inevitably echoed by those he led. He had a close relationship with us, and often laughed with us," recalls former Nantes player Hassan Ahamada, who knew Campos in Beira Mar. He protected the players, liked to take them aside. At the same time, he insisted, with a lot of rambling, that we'd get through this together, by being a bunch of mates. Christophe Galtier, whom I met at Bastia [assistant to Gérard Gili], was just as close. I'm not surprised that they hit it off.

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While recruiter Campos will be unearthing multiple talents, the coach has also launched a handful of future internationals. Hatchling at Esposende, midfielder Petit has been the most visible (57 caps). Recognition comes to the surface when the current Boavista coach is sounded out: "It was a chance to start with someone so benevolent. With him, I took a step forward technically, but also by opening myself up to different ideas about soccer." Between them, an unspoken agreement: "Every time I scored a goal, he had to treat me to a good meal. "Why didn't he manage a top 5 club? In those days," replies Petit, "it wasn't easy to get into the top teams. Managers preferred experienced coaches.

Spontaneous and outspoken

Another aspect that played into Campos's hands was his eruptive nature. Amândio Barreiras, who had had him as an assistant at three clubs, detected this early on. He was a complex young man, passionate, spontaneous and nervous," he described to the ZeroZero website. He often confused himself with the referees, which was tragic. The clash could also happen with the fans. His family, in Penafiel in September 2000, insulted him when he changed the composition of his team, which was quickly reduced to ten. But when the player he had brought on scored, Campos turned around and sounded his revenge. The altercation turned physical. It was too much. After three days, he immediately tendered his resignation, and did not give up when his managers tried to dissuade him.

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His retirement from Beira Mar, five years later, was to be his last. The young forty-something then chose the shadows and the distance. During this interlude, he put his marbles into a restaurant with his brother, in their fiefdom, and got involved in the town council. Soccer soon came back into focus, in the form of coaching methods known as T2P (Training to Play), notably on DVD. Professional football caught up with him in 2010. Mourinho, with whom he had befriended, put him in charge of coaching Real Madrid's opponents and scouting high-potential youngsters. As the network grew, so did the idea of developing his own assessment tool. France is not far off. Neither is recognition.

When does the French team play?

March 29, 2022: France - South Africa: 5-0. June 3, 2022: France - Denmark: 1-2. June 6, 2022: Croatia - France: 1-1. June 10, 2022: Austria - France: 1-1.

What are the French team's next matches?

When will France 2022 be played again?

June 3, 2022: France - Denmark: 1-2. June 6, 2022: Croatia - France: 1-1. June 10, 2022: Austria - France: 1-1. June 13, 2022: France - Croatia: 0-1.

Which channel for tonight's match?

Main soccer channels: beIN Sports. RMC Sports. Channel

How do I watch a match live on Google?

Another option is to use an app. In the Google Play Store, for example, you'll find a number of apps that let you follow the results of your favorite soccer teams on your Android smartphone or tablet. These include: Football en direct.

How can I watch a match live today? RMC Sport, BeIN Sports, Canal Plus, Eurosport, SFR Sport and now Amazon Prime Video are the most popular channels, and above all the channels that broadcast the most important sporting events, specifically soccer.

Where will the next Euro soccer tournament take place?

Berlin's Olympiastadion will host the Final on Sunday, July 14, 2024. Host nation Germany will play the UEFA EURO 2024 opening match on Friday June 14 at the Munich Football Arena.

Where will the next Euro soccer tournament take place? The opening match will take place on June 14 in Munich, the final on July 14 in Berlin. The Euro 2024 soccer tournament, awarded to Germany in September 2018, will open on June 14 at Munich's Allianz Arena and conclude on July 14 with the final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, UEFA announced on Tuesday. .

Who has the most European Cups?

The most successful Euro teams are Germany and Spain, with three titles each, ahead of Italy and France, with two titles each. A total of ten nations have featured in the competition since 1960.

Where will the Euro 2021 matches be played?

Euro 2021 venues, cities and stadiums London: Wembley Stadium (round of 16 / semi-finals / final). Bucharest: Arena NaÈionalÄ (round of 16). Seville: Stade La Cartuja (round of 16). Amsterdam: Johan Cruyff Arena (round of 16).

Where's the euro?

Where can I buy a ticket for the LDC 2022 Final?

Ticket sales to the general public for the UEFA Champions League 2022 final will take place exclusively on UEFA.com.

How do I buy tickets for the UCL Final? Ticket availability and prices for the Champions League Final are determined by online ticketing sites and/or the event organizer.

When can I buy tickets for the Champions League final?

Ticket sales via the website, which began at 2pm, will close on the 28th of this month at 2pm. Of the 75,000 tickets, 52,000 will be available for fans and the general public at the Saint-Denis stadium, where the final will be held on Saturday May 28 at 9pm.

Where can I buy an LDC ticket?

Champions League tickets - Buy European soccer tickets (Fnac, Carrefour, Viagogo, ...)