André Bernardo, Carlos Queiroz, Luís Campos, and Paulo Sousa are among the latest confirmations for the Thinking Football Summit
André Bernardo, Carlos Queiroz, Luís Campos, and Paulo Sousa are among the latest confirmations for the Thinking Football Summit
With the event just days away in Porto, four prominent figures have been added to the lineup for the Thinking Football Summit: André Bernardo, Strategy and Operations Director at Sporting CP, Carlos Queiroz, former national team coach, Luís Campos, Sporting Director at Paris Saint-Germain, and Paulo Sousa, coach of Shabab Al Ahli in the UAE.
André Bernardo, who holds a degree in Economics and an MBA from the Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa in São Paulo, will discuss how modern football clubs can diversify their financial strategies. Before joining Sporting CP, Bernardo held leadership roles at Vivo in Brazil and Spain and served as Global Pricing Strategy Director in Madrid. At the Thinking Football Summit, he will share his insights on how modern clubs can diversify their sources of funding.
Carlos Queiroz, one of the most influential Portuguese and international football coaches of all time, is known not only for his title wins, including the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1989 and 1991, which gave rise to Portugal's "Golden Generation," but also for his visionary approach to developing players, competitions, and even coaches. His influence has left a lasting legacy not only in Portuguese football but also at the various clubs and national teams he has managed, such as Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Iran, Colombia, Egypt, and Qatar. At the Thinking Football Summit, the Portuguese coach will reflect on his 44-year career.
Luís Campos is currently the Sporting Director at Paris Saint-Germain, having previously led the Lille project between 2017 and 2021, which culminated in a French league title. Before his stint at Lille, Luís Campos also served as Sporting Director at AS Monaco, where he won the league title as well, one of the only two titles Paris Saint-Germain has failed to win in the past decade in France. At the Thinking Football Summit, he will discuss the realities and demands of his current role.
Paulo Sousa, currently coaching Shabab Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, will showcase the talent of Portuguese coaches on the international stage, just days after receiving the Hall of Fame Award at the Liga Portugal Awards. Before becoming a coach, he was one of Portugal's most notable players, becoming the first and almost the only Portuguese player to win the Champions League in consecutive years with two different clubs (Juventus in 1996 and Borussia Dortmund in 1997). He was part of Portugal's first U-20 World Cup triumph in 1989, launching a stellar career that saw him play for top clubs such as SL Benfica, Sporting CP, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, FC Internazionale, Parma, Panathinaikos, and Espanyol, winning 14 titles as a senior player.
The event, which will take place from September 12 to 14 at the Super Bock Arena in Porto, will also feature former Portuguese internationals and current Liga Portugal Ambassadors, Beto Pimparel and Nuno Gomes. The two former athletes will address the post-career phase, sharing their experiences and reflecting on what is recognized as one of the most challenging moments in a player's career. Helena Costa, the first woman to be hired as a head coach of a men's professional football team, Clermont Foot in France, will also be present at the Thinking Football Summit. With extensive scouting experience at international clubs (Celtic FC, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Watford FC), she currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Fundação do Futebol – Liga Portugal.
These new additions join a prominent group of speakers that includes Deco, former Portuguese international and current Sporting Director at FC Barcelona, Ornella Desirée Bellia, Director of Professional Football Relations and Development at FIFA, Javier Tebas, President of LALIGA, Sol Campbell, former England international and tech entrepreneur, Antero Henrique, Sporting Director at Qatar Stars League, Claire Bloomfield, Director of Women's Football at the European Club Association, Nicolás Burdisso, former Argentine international, Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director at UEFA, Francisco de Sá Fardilha, Technical Director of Women's Football at FC Bayern Munich, and Stefano Braghin, Director of Women's Football at Juventus.
The full program for the third edition of the Thinking Football Summit is now available online, and tickets can be purchased HERE.
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