The coach Fernando Santos will stop occupying, in the next few hours, the position of national soccer coach after the elimination of Portugal against Morocco, in the 2022 World Cup, confirmed the TSF🇧🇷
In a press conference at the end of the game, Santos had assured that the question of presenting his resignation “was not even raised”, and he limited himself to adding that he would speak with the leader of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), Fernando Gomes, when They returned to Portugal.
“We have always talked about this topic. I have been here since 2014 and we have always talked about it naturally, without these issues of resignation, which is not part of my lexicon or of the president, ”he said then. journalists
“After any competition, the president and I talk, we address the issue and we think what we are going to do. When we return to Portugal, with serenity and time, we will talk again and see what analysis we do ”, he explained.
Eight years, a Euro and a League of Nations
Fernando Santos’ career in the Portuguese national team began in 2014, when he replaced Paulo Bento in the management of the national team.
After four years coaching the Greek national team, Santos returned to national football seven years after his last visit to Portugal, when he played for Benfica.
With a technical career that also included Estoril Praia, Estrela da Amadora, FC Porto, AEK Athens, Panathinaikos and PAOK, the now former Portuguese coach leaves a legacy of victories, but also criticism in the national team.
In 2016, he led Portugal to Euro 2016 victory, in a tournament where the extremely pragmatic Portuguese have always preferred defensive solidity to offensive brilliance.
Three years later, he would lead the team to win the first edition of the League of Nations, in a final that was played in Portugal. In between, in the 2018 World Cup, Portugal did not make it past the round of 16 of the World Cup in Russia, being eliminated by Uruguay.
Now, in 2022, they reached the World Cup after having to play an access play-off with Turkey and North Macedonia. The tour in the group stage included victories over Ghana and Uruguay, but the team ended up losing in the third group game against Paulo Bento’s South Korea.
It was in the round of 16 when everything began to change: Portugal thrashed Switzerland 6-1, but Cristiano Ronaldo was, after almost two decades in the national team, relegated to the bench.
This Saturday, against Morocco, the bet was repeated, but the result was not like that: Portugal was defeated 1-0 and left the World Cup in the quarterfinals.
Source: TSF
