The question on everyone’s mind is: is Fernando Santos retiring or fired? More information regarding Fernando Santos’s Next Move will be provided in this post.
Football manager and former defender Fernando Santos hails from Portugal. Santos was the coach of the Greek national team before signing on as Portugal’s new manager and leading them to victory at UEFA Euro 2016.
The football teams he has coached have significantly benefited from his guidance.
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Is Fernando Santos Retired Or Fired?
After losing in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup, Portugal fired manager Fernando Santos.
The Portuguese Football Federation announced that Santos’ contract had been terminated as of the “right moment to start a new cycle,” even though it had been extended until after Euro 2024.
Since taking over in October 2014, the coach has led Portugal to victories at Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League. Portugal lost their final Group H match in Qatar to South Korea.
However, they still advanced to the knockout stage, beating Switzerland 6-1 despite Santos leaving Cristiano Ronaldo off the starting lineup.
The quarterfinal saw Ronaldo again start on the bench, and Morocco would go on to win a memorable game thanks to a first-half header from Youssef En-Nesyri.
Ronaldo was in tears at the final whistle, but Santos insisted he had made the right calls regarding the situation.
The search for Portugal’s next head coach has officially begun, with Roma manager José Mourinho among the frontrunners.
Fernando Santos Career Before Becoming Portugal Manager
From 1973 to 1979, Santos was a senior player for G.D. Estoril Praia, where he scored his first goal in the top division in the 1978-79 season.
On September 7, 1975, he made his debut in the Primeira Liga.
Then, in 1979–80, Fernando Santos made 26 appearances for C.S. Martimo, but the team never scored a single goal.
He returned to G.D. Estoril Praia in 1980 and remained there until his retirement in 1988 at 33.
Fernando Santos was hired as the manager of his former team G.D. Estoril Praia shortly after his retirement, a position he held for the next eight years, up to 1994.
He then held similar positions with C.F. Estrela da Amadora (1994–1998) and FC Porto (1998–2001).
After a year with AEK Athens F.C., he managed Panathinaikos F.C. for four months on amicable terms before moving on to Sporting CP for the 2003–2004 season.
In addition, he served with Athens FC once more from 2004 to 2006.
On July 1, 2010, Fernando Santos began a two-year contract as the Greece National Team manager. Under his leadership, Greece qualified for the UEFA Euro 2012 and advanced to the knockout round.
At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Santos took over as manager and guided the side to the round of 16, where they ultimately lost to Costa Rica in a penalty shootout, 3-5.
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Fernando Santos Early Life
Fernando Manuel Fernandes da Costa Santos was born on October 10, 1954, in Lisbon, Portugal, under the name Fernando Santos. Franciso Santos is his dad, but his mother’s name is unknown.
Santos got his start in football with Operario Lisboa and then moved on to the S.L. Benfica youth program in 1971, where he stayed until 1973.
The club G.D. Estoril Praia eventually offered him a spot in their team after seeing his play, and he made his professional debut as a senior that same year, 1973.