Manuel Albino Morim Macaes knows what it's like to be a young talent on the Portuguese scene. His experience on the pitch began in the late 1980s, at a time when the Golden Generation won hearts and made people dream of a country at the top of world football after winning the U-16 European Championship and the Under-20 World Championship in 1989, and again at the U-20 World Cup in 1991.
Among names like Luís Figo, Jorge Costa, Paulo Sousa and Fernando Couto, Bino didn't stand out as much as his teammates in the transition to senior football, despite having spent time with Porto and Sporting and having made three international appearances between 2000 and 2002.
Perhaps that's why he can be considered a specialist in managing young players, after an early coaching career with Padroense, FC Porto and Vitoria SC.
At the conquerors, he was the head coach until he left the project on his own initiative and went on to coach Uniao de Leiria until he was recruited by the Portuguese Football Federation. The project was to take charge of the boys of 2008 and 2009, in a journey that began at under-16 level and ended at under-17 level, with the players lavishing praise on the coach's management style.
In an interview with Flashscore, he reviews his career and the last few months of success with a generation he knew as "15-year-old boys" until they became world champions, honoured by the President of the Republic. The future of Portuguese football seems assured. The personal one, on the other hand, seems to be wide open.
Flashscore: It's not every day, I confess, that you welcome a world champion. Bino, first of all, congratulations! World Champion, but rather European, what a year 2025!
Bino: "It's a fantastic year for me as a coach and for the Portuguese Football Federation, because we're winning titles, which is what we wanted. To be able to train to win, to represent the country in this way and to dignify our shirt is also something we want to continue doing. And then congratulations to my players, who have been fantastic on this journey. It's the fruit of their growth (that's the only way) that these two achievements have been possible."
There's no coach without players, is there? There has to be a very, very close bond here.
"Yes, that's true. I've been with this generation for two and a half years. Within the characteristics of the best players we had, within the assessment we made at national level, I found a way to fit them in better, so that we could be a competitive team and play well. A little like the characteristics I want for our game, naturally adapting to Portugal's identity, to what we have to do, but finding this symbiosis between the players, the characteristics, what I like as a football coach, I think this has happened almost perfectly over time and has culminated in this European Championship and now in the World Cup."
But it's still a big challenge. We're talking about young men who aren't yet men of age, they're still teenagers, aren't they?
"That's right. The start was difficult, because we're talking about young kids, still 15 years old, and I caught up with them at under-16 level. It's still a period of great importance on the part of the kids, of discovery, in which they go through a process.
"They start dating, they start signing contracts, they start wanting to emancipate themselves from their parents. We had to create some values here that were essential in the FPF, some rules and discipline that are also fundamental for success and for all of us to know which path we have to follow.
"Because the quality has always been there, albeit in a more irresponsible way, because at this stage they are still very energetic and like to do things their own way. They all play for the big teams, who attack a lot and defend little, and there were some vices that were important to get rid of. In other words, it was a more complicated journey at first, but then at U17 level, a year later, I could feel the team growing, not least because they had already learnt the values and principles we wanted.
"They already knew the path they had to follow, and then we had to clean up a few edges, because football doesn't stop, the evolution of football continues, and it's starting to make itself felt more and more in the youngsters. I say this because we started to see teams playing individual football, which I think is very much in vogue now and increasingly so, and which is also going to change the landscape of football worldwide.
"This created other problems for us, and we found out what we had to do. Anyway, it's been a beautiful journey for the players, the result of their intelligence and the quality they're also getting from their work at the clubs, because the clubs are increasingly better equipped to develop them. The coaches are increasingly better prepared and that helps everything. Then, when they come to the national team, in the short time we have, we manage to do things well, as a result of this intelligence and ability that they already bring."
As the coach, did you also think back to that boy from 1989 who came third in the U16 World Cup?
"I'm not very nostalgic. Fortunately, I can deal with my past situations very well. So it wasn't something that came to mind. It came to me later because I was told about it, and it's true that I won the European Championship at the time. A few months later, we also played in the World Cup and lost in the semi-final against Saudi Arabia. But it was a journey.
"Football is also very different, and I didn't think about it as much as I did when I stopped playing. I'm not nostalgic about it because it's been resolved, and now I'm in another part of my career, and thinking a lot about my work.
"That's why I didn't think about it, but it's an interesting coincidence that I've been through this situation: after a number of years, and I'm now coaching these young players, we could almost be going through a very similar or parallel process here. That's really interesting, but it proves that they are much better than what we were, even though we were then..."
Those were different times, weren't they? It was a bit different.
"Yes, and back then, we already had top-quality players. We're talking about Figo, players of excellence, Emilio Peixe, who was also in that team, some players who ended up having very good careers at the professional level, and that's what I also hope for those who are with me now. That this is a boost for their future, that they keep their feet on the ground, of course, because football doesn't stop, there's always work to be done, but that they can have the success that many of us had in that team."
Do you foresee anyone from your group coming through and showing themselves between now and next season?
"I do. I'm not going to name names, because that would be unfair. I'd be committing myself too, it's not worth it (laughs), and it would be unfair even to some of them. There's quality here, and there are those who can succeed, and that's what I hope for. That's also what we're working towards, so that their growth is increasingly sustained.
"Now, of course, this work is going to be much more up to the players themselves - what they're going to continue to be mentally, the strength they have to keep working and be resilient - and above all their clubs, which are going to have to make a more effective bet on these players, because they have talent, and put them in the right context. The symbiosis of all this is going to be very important if these players are to appear in the first teams in the medium term."
In your time there was this issue: they're almost all from big clubs, they've grown up with this mentality, but then it's difficult for them to reach the first team, because they're often replaced by experience, and there's little room. However, there are still cases like Rodrigo Mora, (Rodrigo) Rego, who keep turning up and showing their ability. From your perspective - you've also had experience as a club coach - is there room for these youngsters? Is there the capacity to bet on these youngsters at the level of our greats?
"There always has been, and there always will be. What history tells us is that normally, when the big clubs are financially well-off, they invest less in home-grown youngsters. When the clubs have more difficulties, they invest much more.
"And when that happens, there are a lot of players coming through the youth system in Portugal. This should also make us think about what the clubs want to do. I only represent the national team, I don't even want to get involved in the work of the clubs.
"Now, that's obvious, it's something we've realised has been happening. There will continue to be room for us to bet on our players. It's true that the world of football is increasingly universal, we can go wherever we want.
"We see the case of Portuguese teams that no longer have even one Portuguese player. I'm sorry about that, because we have great talent, and it will also be important for us to maintain that commitment if we want to continue to have national teams that can raise the name of Portugal.
"Otherwise, we're going to have difficulties, and we're going to produce players for certain sectors if the clubs don't commit to getting these players to play. Fortunately, we have several levels in football, both in training and in the transition to professional football, which have been very interesting. The Under-23 Revelation League, the B teams of various clubs, in other words, there's room. Now it's up to the clubs to take that final step.
"Talking about the talent of this generation, it's clearly visible and the proof of that is these two successes we've had, but there has to be continuity. I hope there is."
In 1989, your generation won the European Under-16 Championship and the World Under-20 Championship in Riyadh. In 1991, your generation won the U20 World Cup in Lisbon, which was a consummation. In recent years, we've had U-9 teams and clubs - in the Youth League - winning major competitions. What is it about Portugal that makes this talent appear so early?
"I don't know if it's innate, we have climatic conditions that allow us to play in the street, now less and less, but there's a whole process. As we said in Brazil, the climate can help, because the kids can walk in the street, they can play, they can enjoy it, and it ends up being an attraction. We're also creating more and more conditions for our competitive squads from an early age.
"We're laying the fundamental foundations. When I talk about competitive frameworks - of course, there are always things to improve - there is a great demand for what we do, even from much larger countries - how come we have so many results? Why are our leagues so well structured - and this also means that we are increasingly able to produce more players, because we have first and second divisions in almost every age group. We have competitive leagues, and that's interesting.
"On top of all that, this victory we've had will lead to kids who are still unsure about what sport they can play saying: 'I'd like to be a champion for the U-17 team too'. This could also lead many kids to continue. That's why I see this generation with great talent, but also with the responsibility of being able to show many kids that they can succeed in the youth teams and that it's worth investing our time in sport.
"Even if these kids don't become players, it's going to be fundamental in terms of the health of our country. So I'm glad that we can work together to keep getting kids into sport, that's going to be important. Portugal is a country that manages to produce a lot of young talent, even with its small size."
Next step
Let's talk about Bino the coach. You started out at Padroense, worked your way up through the youth ranks at FC Porto, the B team and the first team at Vitoria SC, followed by the U-16 and U-17 national teams over the last two-and-a-half years, with enormous success. Where does the future lie, Bino? You're coming to the end of your contract. Where does your future lie?
"I don't know, I wish I did (laughs). Above all, I've said that I'm a football coach and the passion that this profession has brought me. That's why I'm sticking with it, and I love what I do. I've almost forgotten when I was a player, because it was almost another lifetime. I'm very passionate about being able to help players grow. Where can it take me? I don't know. I've been in coaching, I've been in senior football and I'm still open to all those possibilities. I really like coaching, and I'll wait and see. A bit like what's happened so far in my career."
"A few invitations came along, and I made the decisions I had to make. The truth is that I've never had a representative or manager. This can condition choices here and there, even the negotiations themselves, but these are things we choose to do. Everyone makes their own choices, and then we have to live with them, too. And now is the time to realise what these two titles can also bring me: if the FPF wants to renew me, what projects they have, and if there are any clubs or national teams interested. In other words, I'll be open to realising what's coming, and then I hope to make the best decision for the future of my career, yes."
Nowadays, everyone has a representative, even the boys in your team, and you've never been like that. In this new world of football, you being who you are sometimes doesn't help, does it?
"What might not help is that contact, which I realise is a fundamental help of having someone who represents you, not least because you're not the one who has to show your face, you don't have to negotiate, you don't have to create clauses in those negotiations about values or contract years. In other words, if you have someone to do this for you, it's much easier to get to the end, shake hands with the president, and everything is settled. In this process, you create, and I'm not very good at that because I like to be in my own corner. But these are choices we make.
"It's essential nowadays to have a representative. I have no doubt about that. Because nowadays, young players also need someone to guide them. It's true that you have to have a family structure that knows how to keep its feet on the ground and how to guide them, but those who are in football - and representatives increasingly so - are equipped with more tools to help.
"They're important when it comes to negotiating, being able to talk to them at times when they're not doing so well, guiding their careers and a bit like coaches. Coaches also have representatives, and that ends up being important. So I'm open to anything in this situation, too. Let's wait and see. Then we'll make our decisions."
Including abroad? This is because Bino played abroad, but at the moment, the Portuguese coach has a reputation never been seen before. There are coaches everywhere in the world with recognised competence.
"Exactly. The doors were opened some time ago by the quality of the first coaches to leave Portugal, and that has continued. There are more and more high-quality coaches and high-quality players that we're exporting, and that ends up being very good and says a lot about Portugal. It's important for these people to leave so that others can emerge, because the road is travelled and we need this renewal, which is always important. Not least because we're talking about the constant evolution of football and this revitalisation, both of coaches and players, will always be fundamental for this growth to continue.
"I'm also open to going abroad. It depends on the approach they make to me, the context, regardless of where it is, whether it's a national team or a club, I'll be open to being able to understand. I'm very happy to be at the federation, for this journey we've had, but I'm also looking forward to realising what's going to happen."
Let's go back to the World Cup for the final part of the conversation. Did you have to pass on your footballing, personal and coaching values to the boys?
"There's room for everything and, at this age, I often say that they're becoming more and more mature, not just on the pitch, as we've seen in these last two competitions (European and World Cup). I even think we played better in this one (World Cup), and we had players in better shape at the Euros than at the World Cup.
"But at the World Cup, we showed that we were much more of a team, much more united, and that also shows growth, the unity that we've been creating in this working group. We managed to win as a result of this unity, of believing, because we had a bad time against Japan, losing that game, we didn't finish top of the group with the consequences that would have come with it. We had lost to Japan three or four weeks earlier, and it weighed on us a little. The change we made so that the team would be ready to give a good response against Belgium, in a knockout game, was fundamental.
"That's when I thought: 'we have a team again and we can fight for this World Cup'. It was a click, because we're talking about young players and even at the senior level, when you lose twice to the same team, there's a bad taste in the mouth and questions, even for the coach, about what we need to do to improve or put things right.
"This makes the coach think, the players have more doubts... In short, a series of situations that we had to discover together. We had to demystify it, show them again what they had done with and without the ball, so that they realised that we would never depend on a result, but always on our identity and what we had done. And if we followed this path regardless of what had happened, we would succeed. And the players believed that and followed that path, and it turned out to be fundamental."
"But that connection has to be there for everything. They know that when they win they have a coach who celebrates with them and if they have to dance and play, he's with them. On the day of work, on the day of training, they know that there's maximum demand, because that's the only way we can succeed."
We've seen that there's a 'Vitinha' in the group, who has a bit of Bino in him, a creative player. I'm talking about Mateus Mide...
"No (laughs). Of course, we help, and we're part of the players' growth, but no player reaches the professional or elite level at the expense of any coach. That's very clear to me. They are players because of themselves, their work, and their mentality. I feel that there are coaches who like to say 'I was part of this too', but not me. I eventually helped them in situations so that they could review their path.
"From then on, it will always depend on the player, their mentality, realising what they have to do to reach the elite, the difficulties they will encounter and how they will overcome them. We can only grow by overcoming difficulties. When we talk about players who have left here, like Vitinha, Joao Neves, Quenda, it's always the result of their mentality, because we coaches only play those we think are the best. If they are the best, it's the result of their work."
Finally, how does it feel to be European champions, world champions and then to be received by the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with the whole squad?
"It always feels very good. For me, it's a feeling of a job well done, and I'm very happy with that. I'd also like to thank the President for welcoming us, for the medals they gave us, especially when we're talking about kids who aren't even of age yet. We didn't realise how much interest this has generated in Portugal because we've been abroad for a month and a day, and we're in a bubble. We were focused on our work, recovering from one game to the next, preparing for games... But when it was over, the realisation that we had of the buzz generated around the Under-17s was really beautiful.
"I'd also like to thank all the Portuguese for the support they gave us, those who went to Qatar, who were impeccable, we always felt at home. The Portugal stand was always full, the Portuguese community who live there and in the surrounding area were always there, the parents, the businessmen and the club representatives, because they were really important, even for our players.
"As we spent a lot of time there, we opened the doors of our hotel to the parents so they could be with the kids, to relieve them of the pressure of always wanting to be focused on work, and they ended up being very important in relieving some of the tension. I'd like to thank the FPF because we never lacked for anything, they were very important on this journey. It was an almost perfect symbiosis. And I'm very happy with the final result."
