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Fernando Santos resigned as Portugal’s coach after his team lost to Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals.
On Saturday in Qatar, the Portuguese were shocked by a 1-0 loss to Morocco after Santos started the game by starting Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench for the substitutes.
Santos described coaching Portugal as a “dream come true” and a “life goal” he had achieved in an emotional video message.
“When you lead groups, you have to make some difficult decisions,” he added. “It’s normal that not everyone was happy with the choices I made but the decisions I took were always thinking about what would be best for our team.”
The FPF said in a statement that both parties had decided to end the contract because it was “the right time to start a new cycle.”
Santos, who has received harsh criticism for his tactics, took over as Portugal’s coach in 2014 and oversaw 109 games. They won both the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2018–19 and the 2016 European Championship.
Fernando Santos “became the coach with the most games and victories in addition to the titles won,” according to FPF. “Having a coach and person like Fernando Santos in charge of the national team was an honour.”
According to FPF, the board will now begin the process of choosing a new manager.
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