Paulo Bento

Paulo Bento
Bento coaching South Korea at the 2019 Asian Cup
Personal information
Full name Paulo Jorge Gomes Bento
Date of birth (1969-06-20) 20 June 1969
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1982–1987 Académico Alvalade
1987–1988 Palmense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1989 Futebol Benfica 20 (2)
1989–1991 Estrela Amadora 37 (0)
1991–1994 Vitória Guimarães 95 (13)
1994–1996 Benfica 49 (2)
1996–2000 Oviedo 136 (4)
2000–2004 Sporting CP 92 (2)
Total 429 (23)
International career
1992–2002 Portugal 35 (0)
Managerial career
2004–2005 Sporting CP (juniors)
2005–2009 Sporting CP
2010–2014 Portugal
2016 Cruzeiro
2016–2017 Olympiacos
2017–2018 Chongqing Lifan
2018–2022 South Korea
2023–2025 United Arab Emirates
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal (as player)
UEFA European Championship
2000
Representing  South Korea (as manager)
EAFF Championship
Winner2019
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paulo Jorge Gomes Bento (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpawlu ˈbẽtu]; born 20 June 1969) is a Portuguese football manager and former player.

A defensive midfielder with tackling ability and workrate as his main assets, he played for two of the major three teams in his country, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 284 matches and 16 goals over 11 seasons, and also spent four years in Spain with Real Oviedo. He represented the Portugal national team in the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2000.

Bento took up a coaching career in 2005, managing Sporting CP for four years and four months, with relative success, and won a Super League Greece title with Olympiacos. He managed the national teams of his country and South Korea for four years apiece, taking each team to a World Cup and continental tournament. In 2023, he was appointed at United Arab Emirates.