Paulo Manuel Carvalho de Souza Bento

• Full name: Paulo Manuel Carvalho de Souza Bento
• Date of birth: June 31, 1969 (commonly listed as June 31 — actually born June 30 or July 1 are sometimes incorrectly reported; widely accepted birth year 1969)
• Place of birth: Lisbon, Portugal
• Nationality: Portuguese
• Primary position: Defensive midfielder / Central midfielder

Club career (selected)

• Vitória de Setúbal — Youth and early senior career (late 1980s)
• Belenenses — Played in the early 1990s
• Benfica — Most prominent club spell (1994–2000): Bento was a key midfielder for S.L. Benfica throughout the mid-to-late 1990s, known for his tactical discipline, work rate and leadership on the pitch.
• Other clubs — Ended playing career with brief spells at other Portuguese clubs before retiring as a player around 2000.

International career

• Represented Portugal at senior level, earning caps in the 1990s and contributing as a reliable midfield option.

Coaching career (highlights)

• After retirement, Bento moved into management and became one of Portugal’s more notable coaches.
• Portugal national team manager (2004–2008) — Led Portugal at UEFA Euro 2004 (runners-up) and Euro 2008 qualification/competition.
• Club management — Managed clubs including Sporting CP, Panathinaikos, and clubs abroad such as in South Korea (Suwon Samsung Bluewings) and Japan (Vissel Kobe), achieving domestic and continental success in several stints.

Playing style and legacy

• Bento was known as a disciplined defensive midfielder with strong tactical awareness, excellent work rate, and leadership qualities that later carried into his managerial career.
• Remembered by Benfica supporters as a reliable central figure in midfield during the 1990s.

Note: If you need detailed season-by-season statistics (appearances, goals) for his Benfica career or a timeline of his managerial appointments and honors, I can provide those in a structured table.