In the early years of football good experienced players were sometimes invited to referee a match. Jorge Vieira was a very good and experienced player. A defender for Sporting and the captain of the national team, he found time to become the first Portuguese international referee when he took charge of a friendly between Spain and Belgium.

career

Jorge Vieira had his debut for Sporting at 16 when he replaced an English player who had to go to fight the war (WWI). He played for the same team until he retired in 1932. A highlight in his career must have been the 1928 Olympics, which was a sort of World Cup finals before the real ones started in 1930.

Vieira coached in Angola and for the national youth team.

We don't know if he has taken charge of more matches that that one on our list.

Jorge Gomes Vieira died in 1986.