The Association of Sports Journalists has revealed their awards for outstanding performances in the Portuguese leagues and also for sports personalities abroad.
The CNID – Association of Sports Journalists revealed in a statement that Portugal’s Rúben Amorim and Sweden’s Viktor Gyökeres, both Liga Nos champions with Sporting, were elected coach of the I Liga and best player of the year, respectively.
The highlights of the list of 13 winners for the 2023–24 season are the 25-year-old Swedish striker leading the ‘Lions,’ who has scored 41 goals in all competitions so far this season, and the 39–year–old Portuguese coach, who led Sporting Lisbon to the league title for the second time in his career.
Coach Tiago Margarido of Nacional, who guided the Madeira team back to the top division, will be recognised as the II Liga’s best coach together with midfielder João Neves of Benfica, who has been the revelation of the season.
The best players in their respective competitions will be awarded to Kika Nazareth, the four-time champion of Benfica’s women’s football team, João Costa of Alverca, who scored 22 goals in League 3 to help the Ribatejo club return to the second tier, and Nenê of AVS, who scored the most goals in League II with 23.
Overseas
The best Portuguese players who play abroad will be recognised as Manchester City’s Rúben Dias, the center-back who won his fourth Premier League title, and coach Jorge Jesus, who won the championship with Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
Athletes of the year, who will represent Portugal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, include shooter Maria Inês Barros, the 2023 European champion, and swimmer Diogo Ribeiro, the world champion in the 50 and 100-metre butterfly.
Miguel Monteiro, a Paralympian athlete in the shot put, and Messias Baptista and João Ribeiro of Benfica, world champions in the K2 500 metres, make up the team of the year.
Lastly, the organisation will celebrate former athlete Carlos Lopes, who won the gold medal in the marathon at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
A passionate Irish journalist with a love for cycling, politics and of course Portugal especially their sausage rolls.
Rory Mc Ginn