António Jesus Correia

Who was António Jesus Correia?

António Jesus Correia, better known as Jesus Correia, was a Portuguese footballer and roller hockey player, one of the greatest and most eclectic sportsmen from his generation.

As a footballer, he played as a wing-forward for Sporting CP, where he won 5 National Championships and 3 Cups of Portugal. He was a member of the legendary team of the "Cinco Violinos", with Fernando Peyroteo, Albano, Manuel Vasques and José Travassos.

He had 13 caps for Portugal national football team, scoring 3 goals. His first cap came at 5 January 1947, in a 2–2 draw with Switzerland, in a friendly match, and his last at 20 April 1952, in a 0–3 loss to France, in another friendly.

Simultaneously, he had a great career as a roller hockey player, who was becoming the most successful sport for Portugal, playing for Paço de Arcos, where he won 8 titles of National Champion, from 1942 to 1955. He was also a leading name for Portugal national roller hockey team, with 128 caps and winning 6 World Cup titles, in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952 and 1956.

In 1952/53, he had to decide between both of his sporting careers, by the Sporting Lisbon football direction. He choose roller hockey, ending his still promising football career, aged only 28.