Rui Carlos Pinho da Vitória is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a midfielder, and is the current manager of Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr FC. He most notably spent three and a half years with Benfica in Portugal, winning seven major trophies, which included two consecutive Primeira Liga titles.
Playing career
Vitória was born in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira. During his career, in which he played for five clubs, he never competed in higher than the third division, also spending eleven years in the fourth. He mainly represented U.D. Vilafranquense, in the Lisbon area. A midfielder, Vitória retired as a player in 2003, aged 32.
After starting as a manager with his main team Vilafranquense, Vitória moved in 2004 to Benfica, spending two seasons with its junior side. In 2006, Vitória signed for Fátima, helping the club promote to the second level in his first season, followed by immediate relegation back. In 2008–09, again as champion, he again led the side to division two.
On 15 June 2015, Portuguese champions Benfica announced that Vitória had signed a three-year contract with the club. He started the season by losing the Supertaça 1–0 to Lisbon rivalsSporting. Despite a troubled start, Benfica secured a third Primeira Liga title in a row and 35th overall with a 4–1 win over Nacional at the Estádio da Luz on the final matchday, establishing a Portuguese league record of 88 points in 34 matches. Also, with a 1–0 league win at Boavista, Vitória set a Benfica record of 11 consecutive away triumphs in all competitions. Moreover, he also managed the team to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and to their seventh Taça da Liga trophy, beating Marítimo6–2. Later that season, he received Primeira Liga's award for Best Coach. Vitória started the 2016–17 season by winning his first Portuguese Super Cup on his third attempt, with a 3–0 win over Braga; therefore, he succeeded in winning all four major trophies in Portugal. On 23 October2016, he surpassed Jimmy Hagan's 43-year-old record of 15 consecutive away wins in the league, achieving the 16th as Benfica defeated Belenenses 2–0 away. Later, on 7 April 2017, he renewed his contract for a further two seasons before ending the season with victories in Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal and Supertaça, therefore, clinching Benfica's second treble in history after Lajos Baróti's in 1980–81. In addition to that, by winning two of four league titles in a row, Vitória became the first Benfica manager to reach the tetra. The next season, Vitória won the domestic Super Cup and guided Benfica to a second place in Primeira Liga and to the worst Portuguese campaign in the Champions League, which included the club's biggest loss ever in the competition, 5–0 to Basel. On 4 January 2019, following a string of bad results during the 2018–19 season, resulting in Benfica's first-ever loss to Portimonense, Vitória's contract was terminated by the club.
Al-Nassr
Within a week of his departure from Benfica, Vitória was hired on an 18-month contract at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr FC, ranked second in the Saudi Professional League. His first match was a 5–0 win over second-tier Al-Ansar F.C. in the last 32 of the King Cup on 14 January2019. The club from Riyadh finished the season as champions.
