Fernando Santos Euro 2016 Manager
The architect who finally delivered Portugal's first major international title to a nation.
Fernando Santos is the celebrated Portuguese-Swiss manager who led the Portugal National Team to its first-ever major international trophy at UEFA Euro 2016. Appointed in late 2014, he transformed a squad often criticized for lacking cohesion into a resilient unit capable of overcoming significant adversity. His tenure is defined by a pragmatic tactical approach that maximized individual talent while fostering an unbreakable collective spirit.
- Role
- Head Coach
- Affiliation
- Portugal National Team
- Tenure Start
- November 2014
- Tenure End
- July 2017
- Major Honour
- UEFA European Championship Winner (2016)
- Key Achievement
- First Major Trophy in Portuguese History
Lore & Background
The path to France was fraught with near-misses and heartbreaks throughout the tournament's history, but Santos' team remained stoic. The final against France in Saint-Denis became the ultimate test of his philosophy. With Cristiano Ronaldo injured early on, the captaincy passed to Rui Patrício, and the team had to rely entirely on collective grit rather than individual brilliance. It was a victory born from defensive solidity and the refusal to yield, cementing Santos' place as one of the most important figures in Portuguese football history.
In Their Own Story
The rain in Saint-Denis felt heavier than usual, washing over the pitch as the clock ticked into extra time. Fernando Santos stood on the sideline, his hands clasped tight behind his back, watching a team without its talisman fight for survival. There was no panic in his eyes, only a steely calm forged in years of preparation. When Eder stepped up to take that penalty, the entire nation held its breath. As the ball hit the net, Santos didn't jump immediately; he closed his eyes, letting out a silent prayer of relief before the roar of the crowd finally broke through.
Reader's Guide
The primary trophy under Fernando Santos is the UEFA European Championship won in 2016. The final was played against host nation France at the Stade de France on July 10, 2016. A defining moment occurred early when Cristiano Ronaldo suffered a collision that ruled him out for the remainder of the match, forcing the team to adapt instantly without their star striker. The match remained goalless after regular time and extra time. In the penalty shootout, Portugal's goalkeeper Rui Patrício made crucial saves against Griezmann and Payet, while the Portuguese takers converted all five attempts. Eder scored the decisive sixth penalty to secure a 3-1 victory in the shootout (0-0 on aggregate). This victory marked Portugal's first-ever major international title. Records achieved include becoming the first team to win Euro 2016 without scoring a single goal in open play during the tournament. Santos also guided the squad to a record-breaking run of consecutive unbeaten matches across all competitions, establishing a new era of consistency for the Seleção.
Did You Know?
- Fernando Santos became only the second manager in history to win two different major international tournaments (Euro 2016 with Portugal and Euro 2008 with Greece) as head coach.
- Portugal is the first nation to win a major tournament without scoring a single goal during open play in the entire competition.
- Santos was appointed just months before the tournament, replacing Paulo Bento who had led the team through qualifying.