Portugal: Paulo Bento leaves post as manager of the national team in "mutual agreement"

Paulo Bento will depart as manager of the Portuguese national team by "mutual agreement" with the FPF (Portuguese Football Federation), the two parties announced on 11/09/2014.

Paulo Bento, 45 years old, and a former Portugal midfielder (35 caps), had been the Portugal manager since September 2010, when he replaced Carlos Queiroz. Portugal reached the semi-finals of the 2012 Euro championship (in Poland and Ukraine), and then exited at the group stage on the 2014 World Cup (in Brazil, 3^rd place in Group G, behind Germany and the United States, and ahead of Ghana).

In the beginning of qualification for Euro 2016 (in France, 10/06/2014 to 10/07/2014), Portugal lost at home to Albania (0-1, Matchday 1 of Group I) on 07/09/2014. Portugal's next Euro 2016 qualifying fixture is against Denmark (Group I, Matchday 3) on 14/10/2014. Prior to that match, Portugal will face France in a friendly match on 11/10/2014 at the Stade de France.

Paulo Bento's replacement will be announced soon, stated the FPF on 11/09/2014.