Ruben Amorim enjoyed a rare slither of peace as he toasted his birthday out in Cheshire with his wife Maria Joao Diogo on Monday.
The Manchester United boss celebrated turning 40 but joked to the press that he felt more like 50 years old after his baptism of fire at Old Trafford.
Amorim has experienced a topsy-turvy start at the helm of one of the football giants and is contending with the stresses of the final days of the transfer window.
All the same, he was pictured going to a birthday lunch at Cibo Restaurant in Wilmslow with his wife.
Cibo is a popular haunt for Red Devils stars and staff, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Erik ten Hag having met up at the Wilmslow branch in 2023, while Cristiano Ronaldo took team-mates to a bonding lunch at the plush Italian diner’s Hale location a few years back.
Indeed, Sir Alex has returned to the restaurant multiple times over the years, and Amorim will be hoping it can inspire him to similar successes.
Ruben Amorim and his wife Maria Joao Diogo enjoyed an afternoon out at Cibo restaurant in Wilmslow, Cheshire
Maria has followed Amorim, who turned 40, around the world during his managerial career
Amorim dined at the restaurant which has proved a favourite with Sir Alex Ferguson
After being wished happy birthday by BBC Sport, Amorim quipped: ‘It’s not 40, it’s 50. After two months at Manchester United, it’s 50!
‘It’s a pleasure to spend my birthday here. You have a great country. I will enjoy more tomorrow with the win.’
Amorim has had reason to cut a frustrated figure given United’s ailing form.
Three wins in their last four in all competitions have lifted the mood somewhat but performances have hardly been convincing.
He has also lost seven of his opening 17 games and United are off to their worst start at home in the league in 131 years.
Amorim has had to contend with a squad which is not used to his 3-4-3 formation and the club are yet to add any first-team signings this January.
But he has a supportive wife alongside him and their move from Lisbon is not the first time she has uprooted her life to follow him.
Amorim and Maria are thought to have first crossed paths during his time as a football player at Portuguese side Benfica before marrying in 2013, in Coimbra, in front of around 160 family members and friends, according to The Mirror.
Guests at the special occasion included several famous footballers, who are all related to the bride.
Portuguese former professional football player Luis Filipe, who played for Benfica, Sporting, Braga, is married to Maria’s sister Ines, while former PSG sporting director Antero Henrique is her sibling Daniela Diogo’s husband.
But Maria’s football connections don’t stop there – since her business partner and close friend, Raquel Gomes, is married to former footballer Hugo Viana, who will become Manchester City’s director of football next season.
Maria and Raquel founded the Dois Tons interior design firm together. The company’s mission statement is to ‘create spaces with a unique identity’, according to The Telegraph.
The couple uplifted their life to the Middle East in 2015, after Amorim joined Qatari side Al-Wakrah.
Maria had forged her own successful career while Amorim was carving out his path in football, achieving a degree in telecommunications engineering before setting up her own interior design business, Dois Tons.
She decided to temporarily leave her career behind to join Amorim in the Middle East.
More to follow.
