Football: Portugal coach Santos leaves job after World Cup exit
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Santos started with Portugal’s all-time record goalscorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, on the substitutes’ bench against Morrocco.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LISBON – Fernando Santos has left his job as Portugal coach after his team lost to Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) said on Thursday, but he is leaving with “enormous gratitude”.
The Portuguese, 68, suffered a shock 1-0 defeat by Morocco in Qatar on Saturday, after he started the match by leaving the country’s all-time record scorer Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench.
In an emotional video message, Santos said that being Portugal’s coach was a “dream come true” and a “life goal” he fulfilled.
“I’m leaving with the feeling of enormous gratitude,” he said.
“When you lead groups, you have to make some difficult decisions. It’s normal that not everyone was happy with the choices I made, but the decisions I took were always thinking about what would be best for our team.”
Santos, who has been widely criticised for his tactics, became Portugal coach in 2014 and led the country in 109 matches. They won the European Championship in 2016 and Uefa’s inaugural Nations League in 2018-19.
However, his time in charge also saw last-16 exits at the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020.
He had been adamant that he would not be forced out of the job he had held for eight years despite Saturday’s defeat, saying: “I have already discussed this with the president. Since 2014, the possibility of resignation... This word is not part of our vocabulary.”
In a statement, the FPF said both parties agreed to terminate the contract as it was the “right moment to start a new cycle”.
“In addition to the titles won, Fernando Santos became the coach with the most games and most victories,” it added.
“It was an honour to have a coach and a person like Fernando Santos as the head of the national team.”
The federation said its board would now start the process of selecting a new coach.
Various Portuguese media outlets have reported that names such as AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho, the national Under-21 coach Rui Jorge and Lille boss Paulo Fonseca are being considered as possible replacements.
The FPF would even reportedly entertain a deal to allow Mourinho to take charge of the national team on an interim basis to allow him to see out the season with Roma in Italy. Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras), Rui Vitoria (Egypt) and Jorge Jesus (Fenerbahce) are also among the potential candidates.
Mourinho arrived earlier on Thursday in Portugal’s southern region, where Roma will play three friendlies, but remained silent when asked about Santos’ succession. REUTERS, AFP
