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Di Maria Studying to Become a Coach after Retirement

Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Di Maria Studying to Become a Coach after Retirement

Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)

Benfica forward Angel Di Maria said he is studying to become a coach as he will consider opportunities in the dug-out when he eventually ends his 20-year-long playing career.

The 36-year-old, who helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, retired from international soccer after winning his second Copa America trophy in July.

Former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Paris St Germain player Di Maria has scored five goals and registered two assists in 14 appearances for Benfica this season, including a goal in their 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last month.

"I am taking the course to be a coach. I am doing it just in case," Di Maria said in an interview with Clank Media published late on Monday. "From the age of 30 I started to see football differently and analyze it."

"I started to see it not only from the player´s side, but also how a coach can see it. I know that the coaching side is much more difficult because it takes much more time. As a player you just train and go home.

"When I retire, I would like to enjoy time with my family for a while but later on, maybe this can happen."

Di Maria, who joined Benfica last year from Italian side Juventus, has a contract with the Portuguese club valid until June 2025.

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Belgian Coach Tedesco Still Believes He’s the Right Man for the Job

Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Belgian Coach Tedesco Still Believes He’s the Right Man for the Job

Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
Belgium's head coach Domenico Tedesco waves at the end of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between Belgium and Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on November 14, 2024. (AFP)

Belgium's 1-0 defeat by Israel in the Nations League on Sunday has ramped up the pressure on Domenico Tedesco but the coach still believes he is the right man for the job.

Belgium have won just two of their last 10 internationals and only avoided bottom place in their group, and relegation from the top tier, because of better head-to-head results against the Israelis.

The 39-year-old has come under scrutiny since Belgium's disappointing exit at the European Championship and while the defeat in Budapest on Sunday did little to ease the pressure Tedesco remained positive about his role.

"I trust my qualities. I trust my staff, I trust my players. I trust the people around me. I know how hard I work," he said.

Belgium's timid tactics have been criticized throughout the six-game campaign despite Tedesco promising a more adventurous approach after they limped out to France in the last 16 at Euro 2024 in July.

"After the Euros I told you that we have to change something in some games, we missed intensity, and that we have to try new players because if we don't do it now we will never do it," Tedesco told reporters.

"This campaign was different because of many, many injuries."

Belgium were without a host of key players for their last group game on Sunday and lost the match late on after a horror defensive error from new cap Matte Smets.

"It was a difficult game, difficult circumstances, and it's difficult to say something harsh to this young team," said Tedesco.

"We are better equipped now to go into the next year's World Cup qualifiers."

While his future was the subject of much debate in Belgium after the loss to Israel, Tedesco was not letting it get to him.

"The negative sentiment is nothing new. I was told this is typically Belgian," he added.

"Naturally the results in the Nations League did not help but in March we have a sort of final in the playoffs to keep our place in the A League. It will be good to start the New Year with a strong focus."