Mário Wilson Explained

Mário Wilson
Full Name:Mário Wilson
Birth Date:17 October 1929
Birth Place:Lourenço Marques, Mozambique
Death Place:Lisbon, Portugal
Position:Centre back, forward
Years1:1948–1949
Years2:1949–1951
Caps2:36
Goals2:37
Years3:1951–1963
Caps3:250
Goals3:15
Totalcaps:286
Totalgoals:52
Manageryears1:1964–1968
Managerclubs1:Académica
Manageryears2:1968–1970
Managerclubs2:Belenenses
Manageryears3:1971
Managerclubs3:Tirsense
Manageryears4:1971–1975
Managerclubs4:Vitória Guimarães
Manageryears5:1975–1976
Managerclubs5:Benfica
Manageryears6:1976–1977
Managerclubs6:Boavista
Manageryears7:1977–1979
Managerclubs7:Vitória Guimarães
Manageryears8:1978–1980
Managerclubs8:Portugal
Manageryears9:1979–1980
Managerclubs9:Benfica
Manageryears10:1980–1983
Managerclubs10:Académica
Manageryears11:1983–1984
Managerclubs11:Estoril
Manageryears12:1984
Managerclubs12:Boavista
Manageryears13:1984–1986
Managerclubs13:Estoril
Manageryears14:1986–1987
Managerclubs14:Cova Piedade
Manageryears15:1987–1988
Managerclubs15:Louletano
Manageryears16:1988–1989
Managerclubs16:Torreense
Manageryears17:1989
Managerclubs17:Louletano
Manageryears18:1989–1990
Managerclubs18:Olhanense
Manageryears19:1990–1991
Managerclubs19:Águeda
Manageryears20:1993–1995
Managerclubs20:FAR Rabat
Manageryears21:1995–1996
Managerclubs21:Benfica
Manageryears22:1997
Managerclubs22:Benfica (caretaker)
Manageryears23:1997–1999
Managerclubs23:Alverca

Mário Wilson (pronounced as /pt/; 17 October 1929 – 3 October 2016) was a Portuguese football player and manager.

A central defender or forward, he appeared in 286 Primeira Liga matches over 14 seasons, mainly in representation of Académica. He also played for Desportivo de Lourenço Marques and Sporting CP. Subsequently, Wilson embarked in a lengthy managerial career in the country, which lasted more than 30 years and also included two spells at his main club, and a record five at Benfica.[1]

Playing career

Born in Lourenço Marques, Portuguese Mozambique and the paternal grandson of American trader Henry Wilson and a Mozambican princess, Wilson joined Sporting CP in 1949 aged 19, arriving from local Grupo Desportivo de Lourenço Marques. He started his career as a forward.[2]

After two years at the Estádio José Alvalade, scoring an average of one goal per match,[3] Wilson signed with fellow Primeira Liga side Académica de Coimbra after enrolling at the local university to study (and eventually majoring) geology, remaining there for the rest of his career and retiring in June 1963 at nearly 34 years of age.[4] His best individual season for the Students was 1951–52 when he scored five goals in 24 appearances, helping to a final seventh position (out of 14 teams).

Coaching career

Wilson began working as a coach one year after retiring, spending his first five years with Académica – which he led to a best-ever second position in 1966–67, as well as that year's Portuguese Cup final – then working three seasons with C.F. Os Belenenses. He first managed S.L. Benfica in the 1975–76 campaign, winning the national championship. During his early stint with the latter he coined the phrase "Anyone who coaches Benfica risks being champion", having been dubbed whilst still a player O Velho Capitão (Portuguese for "The Old Captain").[2]

In the late 70s, Wilson accumulated duties at Vitória de Guimarães and the Portugal national team, being in charge of the latter during the unsuccessful UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying campaign. From 1980 to 1983 he again worked with Académica, two of those seasons being spent in the second division. Until the end of the decade he would be in charge of no fewer than six clubs, coaching Louletano D.C. and G.D. Estoril Praia in two different spells.[5]

Wilson replaced fired Artur Jorge at the helm of Benfica after the third round in 1995–96, leading the side to the second position and the season's domestic cup. As an interim he also managed the team in four matches in two different campaigns (1996–97 and the following), winning two, drawing one and losing one.[5]

Wilson's last coaching job was in 1998–99 at the age of 69, with another Lisbon-based club, F.C. Alverca, helping lead them out of the relegation zone in the top tier alongside his successor José Romão, following which he continued to work there in directorial capacities.[6] Subsequently, he worked with the Portuguese Professional Footballers' Union, organising actions for unemployed players,[7] and also opened up his own football school, Mr. Wilson, in the Portuguese capital area.[8]

Personal life and death

Wilson's son, also named Mário (born 1954), was also a footballer. A midfielder, he too played for Académica and Benfica (only 11 matches over three seasons with the latter), competing professionally from 1973 to 1986.[9] [10] His daughter Ana was crowned Miss Portugal in 1982, while his grandson Bruno played youth football for Sporting.[11]

Wilson died on 3 October 2016 in Lisbon aged 86.[12] [13] [4]

Honours

Player

Sporting

1950–51[14]

Manager

Benfica

1979–80, 1995–96[14]

Individual

Orders

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pereira, Luís Miguel. November 2009. Bíblia do Benfica. Benfica Bible. pt. 7th. Portugal. Prime Books. 130. 978-989-655-005-9.
  2. Web site: In A Bola: Capitão Mário Wilson já tem 80 anos. In A Bola: Captain Mário Wilson is already 80. Pardalitos do Choupal. pt. 19 October 2009. 2 January 2010.
  3. News: Morreu Mário Wilson. Mário Wilson has died. Jornal de Notícias. Pataco. Miguel. pt. 3 October 2016. 24 November 2018.
  4. News: El fútbol dice adiós a Mário Wilson, el creador del "tiki-taka" portugués. Football bids farewell to Mário Wilson, the creator of the Portuguese "tiki-taka". La Vanguardia. García. Carlos. es. 5 October 2016. 25 November 2018.
  5. News: Perfil: uma carreira com 548 jogos no primeiro escalão. Profile: a career with 548 matches in the top flight. Diário de Notícias. pt. 3 October 2016. 23 November 2018.
  6. News: Mário Wilson com novas funções no Alverca. Mário Wilson with new job at Alverca. Record. pt. 5 June 1999. 23 November 2018.
  7. News: Estágio para futebolistas sem clube. Training camp for footballers without a club. Correio da Manhã. pt. 25 June 2005. 23 November 2018.
  8. News: Morreu Mário Wilson, o capitão do futebol português. Death of Mário Wilson, the captain of Portuguese football. Observador. Raínho. Pedro. pt. 3 October 2016. 23 November 2018.
  9. Web site: Mário Wilson, filho, viu uma Académica transfigurada. Mário Wilson, son, saw Académica with extreme makeover. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. pt. 21 May 2012. 23 November 2018.
  10. Web site: Mário Wilson. ForaDeJogo. 23 November 2018.
  11. Web site: Mário Wilson – Recorde o "velho capitão". Mário Wilson – Remember the "old captain". VIP. Peniche. Luís. pt. 10 October 2016. 25 November 2018.
  12. Web site: Faleceu Mário Wilson. Mário Wilson has died. S.L. Benfica. pt. 3 October 2016. 3 October 2016.
  13. News: Morreu Mário Wilson, ex-futebolista, treinador e seleccionador. Mário Wilson, former footballer, coach and national team manager, has died. Público. pt. 3 October 2016. 3 October 2016.
  14. News: Morreu Mário Wilson, o primeiro técnico português campeão pelo Benfica. Mário Wilson, the first Portuguese coach champion for Benfica, has died. O Jornal Económico. Pedro. Fernanda. pt. 3 October 2016. 5 October 2016.