Paulo Bento says he won't resign as Portugal coach despite his team flopping at World Cup

Published September 18, 2015

Portugal's head coach Paulo Bento walks on the pitch during a training session in Campinas, Brazil, Tuesday, June 24, 2014. Portugal plays in group G of the Brazil 2014 soccer World Cup. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte) (The Associated Press)

Paulo Bento intends to stay on as Portugal coach even if the team fails to qualify from its World Cup group, saying his tenure will be judged on results at the 2016 European Championship.

Portugal, the world's No.4-ranked team, has just one point from its first two Group G games and is unlikely to reach the knockout stage even if it beats Ghana in Brasilia on Thursday.

Bento says "in April there was an agreement with the association that wasn't about the results at the World Cup but our objectives for 2016. I'm not going to resign."

Bento says the Portuguese federation "would never fail to trust me and they aren't failing to trust me now."

United States and Germany, who meet in Recife in the group's other game Thursday, are three points clear of Portugal and have a far superior goal difference.

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