When Jorge Jesus took the helm at Flamengo in 2019, few could have predicted the whirlwind of success that would follow. For just over a year, from 2019 to 2020, the Portuguese coach led the Rio de Janeiro giants to a collection of titles that became the stuff of legend. Fans still look back on that period with a deep sense of longing, a golden era that ended all too soon when Jesus departed for Benfica. But here’s the kicker: his absence from Brazil wasn’t for lack of effort on Flamengo’s part.
Bruno Spindel, a former director at the Brazilian club, recently pulled back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes attempts to bring their beloved coach home. In a candid interview with ‘Globo Esporte’, Spindel revealed the club made not one, not two, but roughly three serious pushes to entice Jorge Jesus back to the ‘Mengão’ dugout. It paints a picture of a club desperate to recapture the magic, almost like trying to mend a star-crossed love affair.
“I think we tried about three times,” Spindel explained. “One thing that wasn’t very clear was how hard we tried for Jorge to return.” He detailed meetings, including dinners, with the coach. The first major hurdle came during Jesus’s time at Benfica. His job security there depended heavily on his and his team’s performance. “No one can control that,” Spindel noted. If Jesus was doing well in the Portuguese league, the Portuguese Cup, and the Champions League, any return to Flamengo was simply off the table. This is why the club ultimately brought in Paulo Sousa instead.
The desire for Jesus didn’t fade. Flamengo tried again after parting ways with Dorival Júnior. But just like before, contractual obligations proved to be a stubborn wall. Spindel emphasized, “whenever we tried for Jorge’s return, there was a contractual impediment.” The third attempt came when Sampaoli was appointed. By then, Jesus was wrapping up his contract with Fenerbahçe and had a massive offer from Saudi Arabia waiting. He might have even been at Al Hilal already. “But it was three times,” Spindel reiterated. “We always talked, but his professional situation prevented him from returning to Flamengo.”
Spindel admitted that, given a choice, they would have much rather Jorge Jesus stayed put in 2020. However, the world was a different place back then. “It was a complicated period because of the pandemic,” he recalled. “It affected our mental health and the club’s financial health.” The global crisis added an unforeseen layer of difficulty to an already tough situation.
It’s easy to see why Flamengo couldn’t let go of the dream. During his brief but spectacular tenure, Jorge Jesus’s trophy cabinet at the club overflowed. He secured a Brasileirão championship, a Supertaça, a Copa Libertadores, a Recopa Sudamericana, and a Campeonato Carioca title. All these major honors arrived in just over a year. That kind of success leaves an echo, and for Flamengo, the sound of Jorge Jesus’s potential return was a melody they just couldn’t stop trying to play.