The Azerbaijan Football Federations Association has confirmed the appointment of Portuguese coach Rui Jorge as head coach of the country’s U20 national team as preparations continue for the 2027 FIFA U20 World Cup, Idman.Biz reports.
The tournament will be hosted jointly by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, with the Azerbaijani side set to participate automatically as one of the host nations. AFFA executive vice-president Sarkhan Hajiyev said organisational preparations for the competition are already under way, with close coordination taking place between the federation, government bodies and FIFA.
“Baku will definitely be one of the cities hosting the tournament,” Hajiyev said during a press conference, adding that discussions regarding other host cities and the venues for the opening and final matches are still ongoing.
Jorge, who previously worked with Portugal’s U21 national team, was selected after several candidates were considered for the role. According to Hajiyev, the Portuguese coach’s experience as both a player and a youth-team manager played a key role in the decision.
“The results he achieved with Portugal’s U21 team and his experience as a professional footballer were the main factors behind this choice,” Hajiyev explained. “The immediate objective for the team is to compete strongly in the group stage of the World Cup and show fighting spirit on the pitch.”
Speaking at his introductory press conference, Jorge said he was proud to take charge of the Azerbaijani youth side and confirmed that his contract runs for the next one year and seven months.
“We can gain valuable experience over the next year and seven months and move forward together during this period,” he said.
The Portuguese coach also stressed that the team’s progress will depend largely on the commitment and development of the players.
“Success depends on the desire and determination of the players. If we can achieve that, we will be able to reach good results,” Jorge said. “Before coming here I spoke with Fernando Santos, the former head coach of the Azerbaijan national team. He spoke very positively about the country and the people, and from the first day I realised that everything he said was true.”
Jorge added that he has not yet made specific proposals regarding playing time for U20 players at club level, noting that the development and quality of footballers will ultimately determine the team’s prospects.
“Azerbaijan is not Portugal, and I understand that very well,” he said. “But when we achieved success with Portugal’s U21 team, that side was only 19th in the rankings at the time. A lot depends on the quality and development of the players.”
The U20 World Cup in 2027 will be the biggest football event hosted in Azerbaijan in recent years, and the national federation hopes the tournament will provide a platform for developing a new generation of players.
