Former Sporting striker with 40 goals takes charge at Benfica | OneFootball

Benfica are preparing an important change to the technical structure of their women’s futsal team and have already chosen Paulinho Roxo’s successor. Maria Martins, a former Sporting player, will be the new head coach of the Eagles’ first team for the 2026/27 season, beginning a new cycle after several years serving Atlético CP.

The 40-year-old Portuguese coach arrives at Luz after five consecutive seasons in charge of the Tapadinha side, where she cemented her reputation as one of the most highly regarded coaches in Portuguese women’s futsal. Before that, she had spells at Quinta dos Lombos, where she worked with both the B team and the youth ranks.

Benfica’s choice has fallen on a coach with deep knowledge of the sport and a long-standing connection to Portuguese women’s futsal. In addition to her career as a coach, Maria Martins built a distinguished career as a player, having represented clubs such as Operário, Quinta dos Lombos, Atlético CP and Sporting.

It was precisely while playing for the Lionesses that she experienced some of the most memorable moments of her career. The former winger wore the green-and-white shirt for two seasons and stood out for her goalscoring ability, becoming one of the team’s key figures during that stage of her playing career.

The coach’s arrival marks the end of Paulinho Roxo’s spell at Benfica, he too a former Sporting player. The Brazilian coach departs after winning the Women’s Portuguese Cup and leading the Eagles to the national championship final, whose series against Nun'Álvares is level and will be decided in the fifth and final game.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.