World Cup: Portugal coach Paulo Bento extends contract

Head coach Paulo Bento will continue to guide the Portuguese national team until the end of Euro 2016 after agreeing a two-year extension to his contract. The 44-year-old coach was appointed in 2010 and his contract was to expire this July, after the World Cup. Bento had good results so far with Portugal as he led them to the semi-finals of Euro 2012, where they lost to eventual winners Spain, and also qualified them for this summer's World Cup. "I am honoured to continue to serve my country as I have been doing," he said. Bento, a former defensive midfielder, earned 35 caps for Portugal during his playing career. He played for Portuguese sides Benfica and Sporting before retiring in 2004. Then he became manager of Sporting and won two Portuguese Cup titles, earned four consecutive second-place league finishes and also pushed the team to the last 16 in the Champions League in 2009. He was forced to quit in November 2009 though after failing to win a league game in two months. Portugal will play Germany, the United States and Ghana in Group G at this summer's World Cup tournament in Brazil, a pretty tough group. Germany are 1/9 at Bet365 to qualify from this group, Portugal are 1/2 while Ghana are 11/4 and the USA 13/5. Portugal have never won the World Cup and they are 33/1 to achieve that success in 2014.