By Melody Gross 
The tears that streamed down the faces of many people at the end of Sunday's Portuguese Cup match revealed, firstly, the emotions of the occasion, but also degrees of kinship, unexpected alliances, peace with life and raw longing.
Francisco Conceicao did not leave his father's shoulders as soon as Porto beat Sporting, Luis Gonçalves embraced the coach in a big hug, Pinto da Costa was very emotional with Andre Villas-Boas, and Sergio Conceicao showed signs of a declaration in his eyes. Goodbye, nostalgic and reddened by the thousandth package.
Ruben Amorim managed to maintain his composure in the wake of the defeat. Outwardly, he did not appear to be overcome by any tears. Inside, Leo in charge was full of reasons to cry. The special bet on Saint-Just seemed destined to achieve the desired “double”, and suddenly individual lapses occurred that prevented him from reaching the goal.
As is clear, one day, sooner or later, Sporting will be able to secure both cups again in one season. It will be a matter of time and that should never be the question for Ruben Amorim, no matter how much he conforms to a childhood dream and no matter how big a check the union bloc writes him back after his second championship win.
From a purely rational point of view, the Leo coach should be packing his bags at this point and preparing to move to another competitive level. Given his European popularity as a figure who is no longer seen as a mere promise like many others, Robben would be making the wrong move if he insisted on collecting medals domestically.
The special one…
Although he belongs to a different generation, if he continues to be here (as Federico Varandas announced a few meters from the balcony of Lisbon City Hall), the champion who has reached 90 points will begin to choose the path previously followed by Jorge Jesus and Recently by Sergio Conceicao, being unnecessarily late.
Given the result of the duel that officially ended the season, it is very easy for defending champion FC Porto to conclude that it was all worth it and that the seven years he spent at Dragao were not excessive. But there is a difference between the legitimacy that results from the solidity of numbers and the legitimacy that reflects the true nature of the winners.
Not only has he built a real “team” of trophies (11 taking into account the rematch celebrated less than 48 hours ago in Jamor) Sergio presents himself at this time as the intended protagonist and is about to formalize his departure. If he had half a nest egg, none of the proposals presented to him would certainly have remained in the drawer.
Essentially, it is not the endless feats of heroism in the local context that determine who has the real conditions to set foot in other galaxies. Jose Mourinho needed to win the Europa League and Champions League to open up the world to his fellow Portuguese, and Villas-Boas just needed to capitalize on a “special” package and an unforgettable journey (2010/11) to reach the Premier League. .
Marco Silva and Nuno Espírito Santo, who sum up the universe to what is known as the best league in the world, have not come close to the success of Amorim or Conceição, however, their differential competence has validated their entry into the overseas elite.
…and a slot machine
On another level, after going down a few steps, Feyenoord have just transferred the man who failed to win their second championship to Liverpool. The Eredivisie is often seen as a test game capable of establishing many parallels with the Portuguese Premier League, and this year's Eredivisie was swept by a PSV Eindhoven team that restored credibility to Peter Bosz, someone who had been unable to deliver victories during his spells with Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. And Germany. Olympique Lyonnais.
In other words, despite being seven points adrift of first place, Arne Slott won the race to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and did not miss his chance on the red carpet, refusing to stay in Rotterdam in the hope of regaining the league. Title in 2024/25.
Because they are especially delicious for bosses, tournaments of dominance do not guarantee the same kind of return for whoever heads the dressing room, especially if we are talking about competitions with a marked difference in terms of the relationship between the number of contenders and those with real potential. To chase gold.
It is one thing to make history in England with the Heavenly Four for Pep Guardiola, and another for a less expressive and competitive rival to provide great dominance for a particular club, whether in Portugal or the Netherlands. The efficiency, quality and guile that Ruben Amorim and Sergio Conceicao have shown in international competitions whenever their team has the opportunity to face the best, this has already been a differentiating factor in the transfer map, a little (or a lot…) similar to what happens with the players.
Just as Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa made a mistake when he ignored the appropriate timing of his resignation, coaches who are well above average risk delaying the leap into another dimension without any kind of logic.
Unless everything that has been made public is absolutely inconsistent with the truth, Amorim must realize that the various methods he has received are perfectly proportional to the time when he can leave the country as a hero.
Exchanging a gracious (and certainly very financially rewarding for Sporting) farewell to fulfill the contract represents a commendable act of courage, full of risks and unknowns. As any Big Three professional knows, the guarantees of continued success are not unlimited, and if they were, this would not be the place to start writing an international fiction story.
Robin, for all you know, is preparing to make a terrible mistake. Those who can make many tears fall from within and without and who postpone making peace with life. You'd better start training your cravings now.