Fernando Santos, 68, is no longer coach of the Portugal national team. This Thursday (15), the country’s football federation announced that, by mutual agreement, the parties decided to end the bond that started in September 2014.
“The FPF (Portuguese Football Federation) and Fernando Santos understand that this is the right time to start a new cycle”, said the entity in a note.
With the coach at the head of the team, Portugal won the first two titles in the history of its main team, the Euro 2016 and the Nations League, in 2019.
He also led the country in two World Cups, in 2018, in Russia, where the nation fell in the round of 16, against Uruguay, in the current edition, in Qatar, where the Portuguese advanced to the quarterfinals, a stage in which they were overcome by the Moroccan team.
The campaign on Qatari soil was also marked by the rigid attitude towards Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, the main star and captain of the team.
The number 7 threw a tantrum after being substituted halfway through the second half of the game against South Korea, in the last round of the first phase.
His attitude forced the commander to bar him in the next game, against Switzerland, for the round of 16. The young Gonçalo Ramos, 21, was chosen to take his place and scored three goals in the 6-1 victory. Cristiano Ronaldo only entered in the final part of the duel, with the score practically defined.
Fernando Santos revealed that he had a conversation with the star before barring him and that, despite the player disagreeing, they understood each other.
In the next phase, he warmed up the bench again, against Morocco, and when he entered he could not avoid the defeat by 1 to 0. He left the field crying for the elimination in the last World Cup of his career.
Less than a week later, the management of the Portuguese Federation not only dismissed him as the coach, but also informed that he is already looking for a new coach.
“It was an honor to have had a coach and a person like Fernando Santos at the head of the national team. The FPF thanks Fernando Santos and his technical team for the services provided over eight unique years and believes that this gratitude is also due on behalf of the Portuguese.”
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
_211555.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
