Sidny Lopes Cabral Praises José Mourinho After 12 Benfica Games
sidny lopes cabral looked back on a brief Benfica spell and said José Mourinho was an excellent coach after making only 12 appearances there. He also said it was an honor to work with him, a reflection that comes as Cabral prepares for Cabo Verde’s 2026 World Cup debut.
Benfica and Mourinho
Cabral did not establish himself at Benfica. He joined in January from Estrela da Amadora, played 12 matches and started only four, then said he did not reach his best level at the club.
“[José] Mourinho é um excelente treinador. Foi uma honra trabalhar com ele” and “É um treinador que deixa uma marca na carreira dos jogadores e que os pode ajudar a ser a melhor versão de si mesmos,” he said in the interview.
Trabzonspor move
Before the 2026 World Cup, Cabral signed for Trabzonspor. That move closed a short Benfica chapter and shifted him into a new club setting just as he was speaking publicly about Mourinho’s influence.
The timing gives his comments a sharper edge. Cabral was not talking about a long stay or a settled role in Lisbon; he was reflecting on a spell measured in months, not seasons, and on a coach he believes can shape players’ careers.
Cabo Verde against Spain
Cabo Verde was scheduled to play Spain on Monday at 17:00 Portugal continental time in its 2026 World Cup debut. The interview on 15 June 2026 at 13:29 tied Cabral’s Benfica reflections to the buildup around that first match.
For Cabral, the story now runs from a January move to Benfica, through a 12-match stint, and on to Trabzonspor and a World Cup stage with Cabo Verde. His assessment of Mourinho leaves no ambiguity: the coach made an impression, even if Cabral says he never reached his best level in Portugal.
