Fernando Santos

Footballer

Fernando Santos is a renowned Portuguese football manager and former player, known for his strategic acumen on the field.

He was awarded the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of Portugal for his contributions to football.

Santos received an honorary doctorate from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, recognizing his impact in sports.

Based on: Wikidata

Biography

Early Life

Fernando Manuel Fernandes da Costa Santos was born in Lisbon, Portugal, where he began his journey in football at a young age. He joined the youth system of S.L. Benfica at the age of 16, where he honed his skills as a defender. Santos made his senior debut with G.D. Estoril Praia, marking the start of a notable playing career that spanned over a decade.

Playing Career

Santos played primarily as a left-back, making his Primeira Liga debut on September 7, 1975, in a match against Farense. He enjoyed a successful stint with Estoril, where he scored his first goals in the top division during the 1978-79 season. After a season with C.S. Marítimo, he returned to Estoril, where he played until his retirement at the age of 33, having contributed significantly to the team’s performance in both the Primeira Liga and the Segunda Liga.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Santos transitioned into management, starting with Estoril, where he helped the team return to the top tier in 1991. His coaching career flourished as he took charge of several clubs, including a successful period at FC Porto, where he won the national championship and the Portuguese Supercup in his first season. He later managed AEK Athens, leading them to a domestic cup victory, and had a brief stint with Sporting CP. Santos gained international recognition when he became the head coach of the Portuguese national team, leading them to victory in the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019.

Personal Life and Legacy

Santos holds a degree in electrical and telecommunications engineering, which earned him the nickname "Engenheiro do Penta" during his time at Porto. He is multilingual, speaking Portuguese, English, and Greek. His contributions to football have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of Portugal and multiple managerial accolades, solidifying his legacy as one of Portugal's most respected football figures.

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Wikidata

Gallery

Career & Clubs

Playing career

Born in Lisbon, Santos finished his development with Benfica, having joined its youth system at the age of 16. His senior debut was made with Estoril, which he went on to represent in the two major levels of Portuguese football. Santos made his Primeira Liga debut on 7 September 1975, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home win against Farense. He finished his first season with a further 12 appearances, helping his team to the eighth position. Santos scored his first goals in the top division in the 1978–79 campaign, only missing one league game in an eventual 11th-place finish. For 1979–80, he moved to Marítimo, where he was also first choice. Having returned to his previous club, he played with them a further eight years (five being spent in the Segunda Liga) before retiring at the age of 33.

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Coaching career

Estoril and Porto

Santos started working as a manager immediately after retiring. He helped Estoril return to the top tier in 1991 and, in the following ten years, only worked in that competition, being in charge of Estrela da Amadora and Porto. Having signed for the latter side in summer 1998, Santos won the national championship and the Portuguese Supercup in his first season. He finished second in the following to Sporting CP, and led the team to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Greece and Sporting CP

In 2001, Santos was appointed at AEK Athens in the Super League Greece, winning the domestic cup and losing the league to Olympiacos on goal difference. Staying in the country, he then joined Panathinaikos, leaving by mutual consent after only four months. Santos returned to his country for the 2003–04 campaign, replacing László Bölöni at the helm of Sporting. He was relieved of his duties on 2 June 2004, after his team was only able to rank third. From 2004 to 2006, Santos again managed AEK. He led them to consecutive top-three finishes during his tenure, being voted Manager of the Year in 2005.

Benfica

On 20 May 2006, Santos joined former youth club Benfica. He was responsible for the signing of former AEK player Kostas Katsouranis the following month. After a third place in his debut season, only two points behind champions Porto, Santos witnessed the departure of captain and top scorer Simão Sabrosa to Atlético Madrid during…

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Club: C.S. Marítimo (1979–1980)
Club: G.D. Estoril Praia (1973–1979)
Club: G.D. Estoril Praia (1980–1987)
Club: S.L. Benfica (1971–1973)

Trophies & Awards

Award: Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of Portugal
Award: honorary doctor of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro

Personal

Personal life

Santos earned a degree in electrical and telecommunications engineering, awarded in 1977 by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa. As he was in charge when Porto won its fifth consecutive championship in 1999, he was nicknamed Engenheiro do Penta (Penta's engineer). In addition to his native Portuguese, Santos also speaks English and Greek.

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Legacy

Honours

Manager

Porto

Primeira Liga: 1998–99 Taça de Portugal: 1999–2000, 2000–01 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1998, 1999 AEK Athens

Greek Football Cup: 2001–02 Portugal

UEFA European Championship: 2016 UEFA Nations League: 2018–19 FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2017 Individual

Super League Greece Manager of the Season: 2001–02, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10 Super League Greece Manager of the Decade: 2000–10 Best Sports Coach in Greece: 2011, 2013 IFFHS World's Best National Coach: 2016, 2019 The Best FIFA Men's Coach: 2016 (Third place) Globos de Ouro – Best Male Coach: 2017 PFA Platinum Quinas: 2019

Orders

Grand Officer of the Order of Merit (10 July 2016)

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Clubs

Played together with

Discussion

Opinions of fans — not verified facts.

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