Portugal embarks on its ‘Pharaoh Mission’ with sights set on the top of the rankings

Fifth at the 2024 ITKF World Championship, the Portuguese National Team has broadened its base, gained experience and will take a 71-member delegation to Cairo. National team coach Marco Silva details the preparations and says the squad will enter every event determined to win medals.

By Paulo Pinto / Global Sports
Curitiba, 28 August 2026

In October, Cairo will bring together the leading powers of Traditional Karate once again for the 23rd ITKF World Championship. In the lead-up to the event, Revista Budô and Global Sports examine how the five highest-ranked national teams from the 2024 edition, held in Vila do Conde, Portugal, are preparing.

Marco Silva, Portugal’s national team coach © FBTP

World champion in 2024, Egypt topped the overall medal table with 14 gold, ten silver and 12 bronze medals. Brazil finished runner-up, with 13 gold, eight silver and six bronze medals. Poland placed third, with six gold, seven silver and 12 bronze medals; Romania finished fourth, with four gold, eight silver and 14 bronze medals; and Portugal completed the Top 5 in fifth place, with three gold, three silver and nine bronze medals.

Professor Fernando da Silva, president of the Federação Budo de Karatê Tradicional, with athletes from the Portuguese National Team, which finished fifth in the World ITKF Traditional Karate Interclubs Cup during the 20th Traditional Karate World Championship in Curitiba, Paraná © FBTP

The series opened with Cornel Mușat and Romania’s preparations. Now, Portuguese national team coach Marco Silva outlines the path Portugal has followed since hosting the World Championship and explains how the team intends to confirm in Egypt the progress of a project launched at the end of 2021.

Portuguese referee Fanny Silva officiating at the 36th European Traditional Karate Championship © FBTP

HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE PORTUGUESE NATIONAL TEAM’S PERFORMANCE AT THE 2024 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN VILA DO CONDE?

The Portuguese National Team already had a considerable legacy, but it grew further with the fifth-place finish among the top-ranked teams in the medal table. It was an important achievement, considering that the project to ‘revive’ Traditional Karate in Portugal began only at the end of 2021.

In my opinion, we delivered an excellent technical performance. Some athletes competing in a World Championship for the first time lacked only the confidence and experience required for this type of competition.

The Portuguese National Team at the 1993 European Championship in Italy, alongside shihan Hidetaka Nishiyama, founder of the ITKF © FBTP

WHAT WERE THE MAIN TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL LESSONS PORTUGAL TOOK FROM THAT EDITION?

We realised that, technically, we are working in the right direction, but we need more domestic competitions to raise our levels of competitiveness and experience.

From a tactical standpoint, we also understood that, perhaps because we are a Latin country, we need to manage our emotions better in order to read and control our opponents more effectively.

The Portuguese National Team at the 2004 World Championship in Davos © FBTP

WHEN DID PREPARATIONS FOR THE CAIRO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BEGIN, AND HOW WAS THE PROCESS STRUCTURED?

Preparations for the Cairo World Championship began the day after the Vila do Conde World Championship ended.

We structured a process to recruit new talent through talent-identification training sessions, selection camps and tournaments, from the grassroots divisions through to the veterans.

Professor Francisco Pinto, kata coach of the Portuguese Karate National Team © FBTP

In the first year of this journey, we used this process to prepare the delegation that competed at the European Championship in Serbia, where it achieved excellent results. That competition brought new talent to the fore and helped us build an incredible team spirit.

Over the past year, we maintained the same process, with talent-identification sessions, selection camps, tournaments and the National Championship. This work led us to select the athletes who will represent Portugal at the World Championship in Cairo.

Veterans’ individual kata podium at the 2024 World Championship in Vila do Conde, Portugal, with Portuguese athletes Tozé Lopes, champion; Paulo Araújo, runner-up; and Vítor Fins, third place © FBTP

HOW IMPORTANT WERE TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS IN DISCOVERING NEW ATHLETES AND SELECTING THE TEAM?

The talent-identification and selection sessions, as well as the tournaments held, were extremely important in helping us discover new athletes, increase competitiveness and, consequently, raise the technical level of our competitors in a real competitive setting. 

The Portuguese National Team at the 2022 World Championship in Slovenia © FBTP

WHAT CRITERIA WERE USED TO SELECT THE PORTUGUESE NATIONAL TEAM?

We considered the results achieved in the latest international competitions, tournaments and national championships held over the past two years. Above all, we assessed the performance and spirit shown throughout every national team training session.

Fernando Manuel Alves Maia da Silva, chairman of ITKF Europe, presents the bronze medal to Portuguese athlete Clara Monteiro in junior women’s fuku-go at the 2024 World Championship in Vila do Conde © FBTP

HOW LARGE WILL THE PORTUGUESE DELEGATION BE, AND WHO WILL BE PART OF THE COACHING STAFF IN CAIRO?

The Portuguese delegation will comprise 71 people, in addition to several supporters who will travel to back and assist our national team.

The coaching staff will comprise Marco Silva, national team coach and trainer; Tozé Lopes, kumite coach; and Francisco Pinto, kata coach. 

WHAT ARE THE MAIN LOGISTICAL AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN TAKING THIS DELEGATION TO EGYPT?

A delegation of this size requires extensive logistical preparation and represents an enormous financial challenge for everyone, as the costs are very high.

I firmly believe, however, that with everyone’s effort and support, this delegation will once again honour our flag and ITKF Portugal.

Portugal wins the individual kata title at the 2024 World Championship in Vila do Conde © FBTP

WHAT ARE THE PORTUGUESE NATIONAL TEAM’S PRIORITIES IN THIS FINAL STAGE OF PREPARATION?

We are in the final stage of this cycle. We will raise our physical conditioning levels, refine the technical details even further, strengthen team spirit and take motivation to the highest possible level.

Tozé Lopes, kumite coach of the Portuguese National Team © FBTP

From a tactical standpoint, we will present the athletes with studies of several potential opponents, using footage and reports produced from previous competitions. We will also draw on the knowledge of the more experienced athletes to pass that experience on to the entire team.

Coaches Marco Silva and Francisco Pinto observe an ITKF Portugal advanced-grades training session in Santo Tirso in 2024 © FBTP

IN WHICH EVENTS OR CATEGORIES DOES PORTUGAL BELIEVE IT HAS THE BEST CHANCES OF WINNING MEDALS?

I believe our selected athletes will enter every event and category with the aim of competing for medals, always respecting karate’s five maxims. 

The Portuguese National Team at the 2025 European Championship in Serbia, where Portugal finished fourth in the team rankings © FBTP

WHICH EXPERIENCED ATHLETES COULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP?

For this World Championship, I will highlight only four of our most experienced delegation members. Otherwise, the list would be extensive. I also want to preserve the element of surprise for the competition.

Tozé Lopes is a veteran athlete and a member of the coaching staff. He has won numerous titles at European and World Championships, in both kata and kumite, and is part of the history of Portuguese and world Traditional Karate at different levels.

Portuguese referees Fanny Silva and Porfírio Isidoro at the 2024 World Championship in Vila do Conde © FBTP

Helder Pentieiros is a highly experienced senior athlete, with numerous medals from European and World Championships in individual and team kumite.

The Portuguese National Team, ITKF European runner-up at the championship held in Belgrade from 6 to 8 December 2013 © FBTP

Bruno Gonçalves also competes in the senior category. He is an experienced athlete with several medals from European and World Championships in individual and team kumite.

Pedro Matos competes in the Youth category and won the kata gold medal at the last World Championship.

Part of the Portuguese National Team at the 36th European Traditional Karate Championship, held in Serbia from 20 to 26 October 2025 © FBTP

AFTER FINISHING FIFTH IN PORTUGAL, DOES THE TEAM FEEL A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY TO REMAIN AMONG THE ITKF’S LEADING FORCES?

Portugal has earned its status as a contender in the competitions it enters. Finishing fifth among the top-ranked teams at the last World Championship increases our responsibility to maintain that result and, perhaps, improve on it.

Portuguese referee Vítor Fins © FBTP

In Cairo, we will have more high-level athletes across every age group and event, which will increase our chances of climbing the medal table.

The Portuguese women’s team, bronze medallist in kata at the 2024 World Championship in Vila do Conde, Portugal © FBTP

We also have competitors who have gained more experience in recent international events, several debutants and, naturally, our most experienced athletes. They will help balance the national team emotionally, technically and tactically.

The Portuguese National Team, runner-up in women’s team jiyu kumite in the Youth Women category at the 36th European Traditional Karate Championship © FBTP

WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND TO THE ATHLETES AND EVERYONE WHO WILL FOLLOW PORTUGAL ON THIS JOURNEY?

I would like to leave a message of confidence and hard work. I believe that this ‘Pharaoh Mission’ we have set ourselves will be successfully completed, enhancing the name of Portugal and ITKF Portugal.

Portuguese National Team athlete Sandra Vieira, silver medallist in women’s veterans’ individual kata at the 2024 World Championship in Vila do Conde © FBTP

On behalf of our president, Professor Fernando Manuel Alves Maia da Silva, and the other officials of the Portuguese Federation, I would like to thank Revista Budô for the invitation and for all its work in promoting ITKF Global.

Oss!