Manuel Vilarinho


Manuel Lino Rodrigues Vilarinho is a Portuguese businessman who served as the 32nd president of sports club S.L. Benfica.

Benfica

Born in Lisbon, Vilarinho was elected president of Benfica on 27 October 2000 with 62% of the votes, ousting the incumbent chairman João Vale e Azevedo in the second most contested election in the history of Benfica. In the club's football department, Vilarinho caused head coach José Mourinho to demand a contract extension and ultimately leave Benfica when he stated that he saw the team's former player and coach Toni as their manager for the future. Vilarinho later admitted that he would have probably renewed Mourinho's contract, but his refusal to negotiate an extension mid-season led to the manager's departure.
Vilarinho green-lighted the construction of the new Estádio da Luz, with the team moving to the stadium in 2004. Additionally, he gave his full support to the presidential candidacy of Luís Filipe Vieira, the club's director of football at the time, who became president of Benfica on 31 October 2003. Three years later, Vilarinho was elected as the fifth president of the club's General Assembly on 27 October.

Honours

Futsal">S.L. Benfica (futsal)">Futsal (3 titles)

Vilarinho is married to Mariana Correia da Costa Pereira Caldas, daughter of João Jorge Dargent Pereira Caldas and Ana Maria Bicker Correia da Costa.