Portugal coach raised the national team’s level and seeks maximum coronation

Fernando Santos, 68, is the second longest-serving coach of one of the 32 teams that will compete in the World Cup in Qatar. Since September 2014, he has directed Portugal —Didier Deschamps, since July 2012 in charge of France, is the one who leads that list.

In almost eight years of work in front of the Portuguese, Santos was responsible for taking the country to the conquest of its first titles with the main team.

The biggest one came in 2016, when the Portuguese won the Euro Cup in a historic decision against France, set in extra time.

The extra time was already in its second leg. Portuguese and French dragged on the field after more than 105 minutes of battle. No goal until the ball reached Éder, who received it alone at the edge of the area, cleared the scoring and made history at the Stade de France.

With a goal from his then shirt 9, the Portugal team won the first title in the elite of world football, with a 1-0 victory in Saint-Denis. The title eased the frustration experienced in 2004, when the Portuguese lost at home in the Euro final against Greece, 1-0.

Already without that weight, the squad led by Fernando Santos would celebrate another achievement, in 2018-19, by winning the first edition of the Nations League, with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.

The recent achievements are a reflection of the good harvests that players who have emerged on Portuguese soil in recent years. In addition to the most famous of them, Cristiano Ronaldo, the nation saw names such as Rúben Dias, Nuno Mendes, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Félix and Rafael Leão, all summoned by Fernando Santos to compete in the World Cup in Qatar.

With this squad, the coach is confident that the time has come for his country to win the World Cup for the first time.

“What can this team give? I’ll answer it very simply: it’s to be world champion. I believe that’s possible, my players believe, so that’s what this team can give”, said the commander shortly after revealing your list of invitees.

In addition to the young talents that make up the squad, the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo in the team is one of the factors that give the coach confidence. Even though the star is already 37 years old and living a bad moment with the Manchester United shirt, in which he is no longer an absolute starter, the coach believes he could be decisive in the Cup.

“He played the last four games. If it was a month ago, the matter would be different. Cristiano is in that lot for sure”, said Santos.

It will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s fifth World Cup. Portugal will be in its seventh appearance in the championship, the fifth in a row.

Until today, the Portuguese have never managed to reach a decision. The best result was obtained in 1966, in the edition held in England, when they finished third in the competition.

In 2006, in Germany, they reached the semifinals, but were defeated by the French, by 1 to 0. In the dispute for third place, another defeat, this time, to Germany, by 3 to 1.

In Russia, in 2018, the fall was even earlier. In the round of 16, the Portuguese saw their dream come to an end against Uruguay. The South American team won 2-1.

Back in competition in Qatar, the Portuguese are in Group H, alongside Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea. With the squad that Santos took to the Middle East, the Europeans are favorites to advance in the group, including first place.

With a good campaign in the first phase, Portugal will be able to gain the confidence they need to advance in the knockout stage until they achieve their big goal.