Rui Borges has officially signed a new contract with Sporting, as announced by the club this Friday in a ceremony led by president Frederico Varandas. The coach’s previous deal, valid until June 2027 (the end of next season), has been extended by one year through 2028, with an additional option year that could keep him at the club until 2029.
This renewal comes at a challenging period for the Alvalade side, which has recorded only one win in its last six matches—none in the last five. The green-and-whites have secured a spot in the Portuguese Cup final but recently dropped to third place in the league, no longer solely depending on themselves to finish second in the Portuguese League. This puts their qualification for the next Champions League at risk. The league title appears already destined for FC Porto.
Despite falling short of defending the championship, Rui Borges’ Sporting achieved its best-ever Champions League performance in 2025/26, reaching the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Arsenal. The club had last reached this stage of the competition in the 1982/83 season.
Borges joined Sporting in December 2024, recruited from Vitória SC to replace João Pereira, who had been dismissed after succeeding Ruben Amorim (who left for Manchester United midway through last season). In his first season at Alvalade, the now 44-year-old coach returned Sporting to the top of the league and led the club to win the 2024/25 championship, also lifting the Portuguese Cup to achieve a domestic double.
In total, Rui Borges has managed Sporting in 81 official matches, recording 52 wins, 18 draws, and 11 losses. Under his guidance, the team has scored 181 goals and conceded 80.
