Luís Filipe Vieira

Luís Filipe Vieira
Vieira in 2007
Born Luís Filipe Vieira Ferreira
(1949-06-22) 22 June 1949
Bairro das Furnas, São Domingos de Benfica, Lisbon, Portugal
Residence Dafundo, Oeiras
Nationality Portuguese
Occupation Real estate businessman
Known for Presidency of S.L. Benfica
Spouse(s) Vanda Vieira
Children Tiago
Sara
Parent(s)
  • Fernando Mendes Vieira (father)

Luís Filipe Vieira Ferreira (born 22 June 1949) is a Portuguese real estate businessman who serves as the 33rd president of Portuguese sports club S.L. Benfica since 2003.[1]

Career

Born in São Domingos de Benfica,[2] Vieira started his professional career in the tire industry, where he got the nickname "Kadhafi dos pneus" (Kadhafi of tires). Afterwards, he asserted himself in the construction industry. Along with two partners, he funded Obriverca in 1985, which was considered one of Portugal's biggest construction companies.[3] In 2008, seven years after leaving the company,[3] Vieira was ranked by Portuguese magazine Exame as the 74th wealthiest person in Portugal, with a fortune of €162 million, mostly due to his real estate business called Grupo Inland,[4][5] which belongs to the economic group Promovalor, managed by his son, Tiago, and of which Vieira is chairman of the board of directors.[3] In January 2018, it was reported by newspaper Expresso that Portuguese bank Novo Banco and Vieira had negotiated the restructuring of his €400 million debt related to several real estate businesses.[3][6]

Benfica

In 2001, Vieira, then president of football club F.C. Alverca,[7] suspended his presidency and left the club in order to join S.L. Benfica as an adviser for its SAD,[8] at a time when he was a paying member (sócio) of Benfica's rivals Sporting CP and FC Porto,[9][10] and had made several deals with the latter club as president of Alverca.[7]

2003–2006

On 31 October 2003, Vieira was elected 33rd president of Benfica, with 90,47% of the votes of its members, thus succeeding Manuel Vilarinho, who had beaten João Vale e Azevedo in 2000. Vieira defeated candidates Jaime Antunes and Guerra Madaleno in the club's first use of electronic voting.[7][11] Months later, Benfica won their first trophy in eight years, the Portuguese Cup, with manager José Antonio Camacho.[12]

On 2 June 2005, Vieira threatened to resign if Benfica did not achieve 300,000 members until October that year.[13][14] With Giovanni Trapattoni as manager in the 2004–05 season, Benfica won the Portuguese League, ending an eleven-year drought.[12] The following season, with manager Ronald Koeman, Benfica won the Portuguese Super Cup and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League,[12] knocking out defending champions Liverpool.[12][14]

2006–2009

On 27 October 2006, Vieira ran uncontested and was reelected for a second term, receiving 95.6% of the votes.[15] Back in September 2006, Vieira had stated, "Benfica's debt does not scare anyone, let Benfica get to 2011 and you will see that Benfica will be a European colossus, not to say worldwide". In addition, he had reminded his ambition of making Benfica European champions again.[16][17] In November, with 160,398 paying members, Benfica was recognized by the Guinness World Records as "the most widely supported football club".[18][19]

For the 2006–07 season, Vieira signed manager Fernando Santos, whose contract would not last long. Following a trophyless season, Santos was sacked after his first league match of the season, eventually being replaced by Camacho,[20] who returned to the club. From then to the 2008–09 season, Benfica finished fourth and third in the league, respectively, and won the second edition of the League Cup with manager Quique Sánchez Flores.[12] At financial level, Benfica's SAD started to be listed on the Portuguese stock exchange Euronext Lisbon in May 2007.[21]

2009–2012

On 3 July 2009, after dismissing the club's governing bodies on 8 June in order to call early elections, Vieira was reelected with 91.74% of the votes, defeating Bruno Costa Carvalho, who got 2.98%, in a total of 20,672 voters.[22] Before winning the elections, Vieira promised a more winning term in football; in his previous one, Benfica did not achieve better than a third place finish in the league and one League Cup trophy.[12][23] In the first year of his third term, with Jorge Jesus as manager, Benfica won the Portuguese League and their second League Cup.[12][24] However, in the two following seasons, the team would only retain the League Cup, reach the quarter-finals of the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League, and finish second in the league, twice.

Vieira, after being contested by members of Benfica following the team's elimination against S.C. Braga in the semi-finals of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, stated, "I am not held on to the presidency of Benfica."[25] Back in late April 2010, more than 100 members of Benfica had approved the new statutes of the club with 95% of the votes, in which the most notable changes were the requirement of 25 years of uninterrupted filiation as an adult for presidential candidates, and the extension of the presidential term from three to four years.[26]

2012–2016

On 28 September 2012, Vieira became the second president of Benfica to have the club's annual accounts voted down by its members, after Manuel Damásio in 1997. Benfica presented an €11 million loss, despite heavy earnings in the previous UEFA Champions League campaign and through the sales of players such as Fábio Coentrão and Roberto.[27][28][29][30] Vieira was asked to resign by some Benfica members.[31][32] On 13 October, he ran for a fourth term,[33] announcing the goal of winning three Portuguese League titles, of reaching one European final in football, and of winning a total of 50 championship titles in other sports.[34][35] He also promised to broadcast Benfica's home league matches on Benfica TV, thus not renewing the club's contract with Joaquim Oliveira's Olivedesportos.[34][36] Prior to club elections, a group of Benfica members questioned Vieira's number of years of affiliation with the club.[37]

On 26 October, Vieira was reelected with 83.02% of votes, defeating Rui Rangel, who got 13.83%.[12][38] One day before, Vieira had said that lowering Benfica's debt was not a priority.[39] Later, on 7 December, he surpassed Bento Mântua as the longest-serving president at Benfica.[12][40] In the first year of his fourth term, Benfica finished second in the league and were runners-up in both the Portuguese Cup and UEFA Europa League;[12] manager Jesus was contested, but remained at the club for two more seasons. In his penultimate one, Benfica achieved an unprecedented treble of Portuguese League, Portuguese Cup and League Cup,[41] and were again runners-up in the UEFA Europa League. Benfica's overall performance in the 2014–15 season was considered positive, as Vieira was just one football league title away from his 2012 silverware promise, dubbed "3+1+50".[16][34] Financially, in early October 2016, after the 2015–16 season, Benfica reported total assets of €416 million, an increase of 14.2%, and total liabilities of €495 million, an increase of 6.1%.[42]

2016–present

On 27 October 2016, without opponents for a second time, Vieira was reelected for a fifth term, receiving 95.52% of votes (12,503 voters in a total of 13,257).[43][44] In March 2017, prior to Benfica's clinching of the league title – Rui Vitória's second one – Vieira stated, "We [Benfica] are 10 years ahead of the competition [other Portuguese clubs]", promising to lower Benfica's debt by €200 million in two years.[45][46] Then on July, following Benfica's first four league titles in a row (tetra), he said, "Until we do not have control over the debt, we will not stop selling" and later underscored that "one can mortgage a title, but not the club's future".[47]

Later in September, in a heated General Assembly of the club, following the 5–0 away defeat to FC Basel in the Champions League, Vieira was contested (and insulted) by some members of Benfica. He told all those present to believe in the Portuguese title (now lost) and replied to a resignation request: "I will be here [at Benfica] for many and many years to come."[48][49] In early November, despite the continuation of Benfica's bad season start, Vieira reinforced his confidence in manager Vitória by saying, "There is no [negative] result that will take Rui Vitória away from this project."[50] Later in February 2018, he stated, "When I leave Benfica, I will certainly be poorer, not richer."[51]

The club's overall performance in 2017–18 was negative,[52] as Benfica did not win the league title in men's basketball, football, futsal, handball, roller hockey and volleyball. Therefore, prior to the upcoming season, Vieira stated: "This will be the season of reconquest! And of quick return to our victorious cycle and of hegemony in Portuguese football."[53]

Trophies won at Benfica

As of 5 October 2018

List of trophies won by the club in men's senior teams during his presidency:

Personal life

Vieira is married to Vanda and has two children, Tiago and Sara.[54][55] He resides in Dafundo, Oeiras.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Happy birthday, President!". S.L. Benfica. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira homenageado em S. Domingos de Benfica" [Luís Filipe Vieira honoured in São Domingos de Benfica]. Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (in Portuguese). 24 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Marques, Christopher (30 January 2018). "Rui Rangel, Luís Filipe Vieira e a justiça. Sete respostas para perceber a Operação Lex" [Rui Rangel, Luís Filipe Vieira, and justice. Seven answers to understand Operação Lex]. RTP (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  4. ↑ Pedro Vieira, Rui (13 August 2008). "Ricos: Ricardo Salgado desce, Luís Filipe Vieira sobe" [Rich people: Ricardo Salgado lowers, Luís Filipe Vieira goes up]. TVI24 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  5. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira é o 74.º mais rico" [Luís Filipe Vieira is the 74th most wealthiest person]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 August 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "Expresso: Novo Banco reestrutura dívida de Luís Filipe Vieira" [Expresso: Novo Banco restructures Luís Filipe Vieira's debt]. Jornal de Negócios (in Portuguese). 20 January 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 "Vieira é o presidente com maior mandato no clube" [Vieira is the president with the longest tenure at the club]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  8. ↑ Oliviera, César de; Antão, Vasco (27 September 2001). "Benfica-Alverca na sombra do gestor Luís Filipe Vieira" [Benfica-Alvera in the shadow of administrador Luís Filipe Vieira]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  9. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira é sócio do Sporting e do FC Porto" [Luís Filipe Vieira is an associate of Sporting and FC Porto]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 April 2001.
  10. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira faz hoje 24 anos de sócio do FC Porto" [Luís Filipe Vieira is now a 24-year-old member of FC Porto]. SAPO Notícias (in Portuguese). 15 January 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  11. ↑ "Comunicado da Assembleia Geral sobre voto electrónico" [General Assembly announcement about electronic vote]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Monteiro, Duarte (31 October 2013). "Dez anos de Vieira: o reinado mais longo na história encarnada" [Ten years of Vieira: the longest reign in Benfica history]. zerozero (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira quer 300.000 sócios até Outubro" [Luís Filipe Vieira wants 300,000 members until October]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 June 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  14. 1 2 Ruela, João (4 May 2014). "Nove anos depois, Vieira insiste nos 300 mil sócios" [Nine years later, Vieira insists on 300,000 members]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Valente, Susana (12 October 2016). "Vieira concorre sozinho às eleições do Benfica" [Vieira runs alone in Benfica elections]. Relvado (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 30 December 2013.
  16. 1 2 Silva, Rui Pedro (21 May 2015). "Luís Filipe Vieira. Equação das promessas está a um título de ficar completa" [Luís Filipe Vieira. Titles equation is one title away from being completed]. Jornal i (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  17. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira: "Em 2011 o Benfica será um colosso europeu"" [In 2011, Benfica will be a European colossus]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). 21 September 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  18. ↑ "Guinness World Records - GWR Day - Portugal - A Team Effort". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  19. ↑ "Most widely supported football club". Guinness World Records. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  20. ↑ Sobral, Luís (1 November 2013). "Benfica de Vieira: a melhor década do FC Porto" [Vieira's Benfica: FC Porto's best decade]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  21. ↑ Luís, José Pedro (21 May 2007). "Benfica entra na bolsa em fase de recuperação financeira" [Benfica enter the stock market while in financial recovery]. Jornal de Negócios (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira vence eleições do Benfica com 91,74% dos votos" [Luís Filipe Vieira wins Benfica elections with 91.74% of the votes]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 3 July 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "Vieira promete "mandato desportivo" para ganhar campeonatos" [Vieira promises "sports term" to win championships]. Público (in Portuguese). 26 June 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  24. ↑ Silva, Rui (9 May 2010). "Benfica campeão! - vídeos" [Benfica are champions - videos]. Jornal i (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 11 May 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  25. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira: "Não estou agarrado à presidência do Benfica"" [Luís Filipe Vieira: "I am not held on to the presidency of Benfica"]. SAPO Notícias (in Portuguese). 10 May 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  26. ↑ "Sócios aprovam filiação de 25 anos e mandatos de quatro" [Members approve 25-year filiation and four-year term]. SAPO Desporto (in Portuguese). 30 April 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  27. ↑ "Benfica recebe 20 milhões" [Benfica earn €20 million in UEFA Champions League]. Maisfutebol. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  28. ↑ "Comunicado" [Announcement] (PDF). CMVM (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  29. ↑ "Benfica comunica à CMVM venda de Fábio Coentrão por 30 M€" [Benfica reports €30 million sale of Fábio Coentrão to CMVM]. Portal NetMadeira (in Portuguese). 5 July 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  30. ↑ "Benfica vende Roberto por 8,6 milhões de euros" [Benfica sell Roberto for €8.6 million]. Diário de Notícias. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  31. ↑ "Contas chumbadas. Sócios pedem demissão de Vieira" [Accounts flunked. Associates ask for Vieira's resignation]. Renascença (in Portuguese). 28 September 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  32. ↑ Freches, Sílvia (28 September 2012). "Sócios do Benfica pedem demissão de Vieira" [Benfica members ask for Vieira's resignation]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  33. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira anuncia candidatura à presidência do Benfica" [Luís Filipe Vieira announces candidacy for presidency of Benfica]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  34. 1 2 3 Ruela, João (26 October 2012). "As promessas de Vieira para o próximo mandato" [Vieira's promises for the upcoming term]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  35. ↑ ""Temos de ganhar três campeonatos e chegar a uma final europeia em quatro anos" - Luís Filipe Vieira" ["We have to win three championships and reach one European final in four years" - Luís Filipe Vieira]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  36. ↑ Pereira, Paulo Jorge (25 October 2012). "A partir de 2013 os nossos jogos vão ser vistos na Benfica TV" [Starting from 2013, our games will be seen on Benfica TV]. Económico (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  37. ↑ "Benfica: grupo de adeptos põe em causa anos de sócio de Vieira" [Benfica: group of supporters challenges Vieira's number of membership years]. Relvado (in Portuguese). 17 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  38. ↑ Vaza, Marco (26 October 2012). "Vieira reeleito presidente do Benfica com 83% dos votos" [Vieria reelect president of Benfica with 83% of votes]. Público (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  39. ↑ "Vieira ao Maisfutebol: "Reduzir passivo não é prioridade"" [Vieira to Maisfutebol: "Decreasing the debt is not a priority"]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). 25 October 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  40. ↑ Nunes, Luís Miguel (2 February 2014). "Benfica: Vieira já é o presidente com mais tempo" [Benfica: Vieira already is the longest-serving president]. Relvado (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  41. ↑ "Benfica proud of mammoth Portuguese haul". UEFA. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  42. ↑ "Passivo subiu para os 495 milhões de euros" [Liabilities went up to 495 million euros]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 2 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  43. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira reeleito com 95,52% dos votos" [Luís Filipe Vieira reelected with 95.52% of the votes] (in Portuguese). 28 October 2010. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  44. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira reeleito com 95,52% dos votos" [Luís Filipe Vieira reelected with 95.52% of the votes]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  45. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira diz que passivo do Benfica vai descer 200 milhões em dois anos" [Luís Filipe Vieira says Benfica's debt will be lowered by €200 million in two years]. SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  46. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira: "Estamos 10 anos à frente da concorrência"" [Luís Filipe Vieira: "We are 10 years ahead of the competition] (in Portuguese). 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  47. ↑ Gomes de Andrade, Maria (31 July 2017). "Luís Filipe Vieira: "O mercado está louco, não vamos parar de vender"" [Luís Filipe Vieira: "The market is crazy, we will not stop selling"]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  48. ↑ "Vieira acabou noite de contestação com os adeptos do seu lado: "Acreditem, porra!"" [Vieira ended night of protest with supporters on his side: "Believe, dammit!"]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 September 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  49. ↑ "Vieira responde a pedido de demissão: "Vou cá estar muitos e muitos anos"" [Vieiras replies to resignation request: "I will be here for many and many years to come"]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 September 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  50. ↑ "Vieira: "Não há resultado que retire Rui Vitória do Benfica"" [Vieira: "There is no result that will take Rui Vitória away from this project."]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). 9 November 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  51. ↑ "Luís Filipe Vieira: "Quando sair do Benfica de certeza que vou mais pobre"" [Luís Filipe Vieira: "When I leave Benfica, I will certainly be poorer"]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 23 February 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  52. ↑ "Vieira assume falhanço desportivo" [Vieira assumes sporting failure]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 11 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  53. ↑ Antunes, Sónia (27 July 2018). "Luís Filipe Vieira: "Esta será a época de reconquista!"" [Luís Filipe Vieira: "This will be the season of reconquest!]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  54. ↑ "Segredos e luxos das primeiras-damas do futebol" [Secrets and luxuries of football's first ladies]. VIP (in Portuguese). 25 December 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  55. ↑ Silva, Cláudia Carvalho (27 January 2018). "Investigada atribuição de isenção fiscal a filho de Luís Filipe Vieira" [Attribution of tax exemption to Luís Filipe Vieira's son investigated]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 May 2018.

Further reading

  • Pereira, Luís Miguel (December 2012). Missão Benfica - Luís Filipe Vieira [Mission Benfica - Luís Filipe Vieira] (3rd ed.). Prime Books. ISBN 978-989-655-146-9.
Preceded by
Manuel Vilarinho		 President of Benfica
2003–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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