Fernando Santos ‘set for the axe’ following Portugal’s shock World Cup exit at the hands of Morocco
Fernando Santos ‘ready for the axe’ following Portugal’s shock World Cup elimination at the hands of Morocco with Lille boss Paulo Fonseca the No. 1 choice to replace him
- Fernando Santos will be removed from his post as Portugal coach
- Portugal was eliminated from the World Cup in the quarterfinals by Morocco
- Santos left Cristiano Ronaldo out for the round of 16 of the tournament
- Lille boss Paulo Fonseca could be the man to replace Santos as Portugal manager
Portugal manager Fernando Santos will be sacked after his World Cup quarter-final exit, and Lille manager Paulo Fonseca is the favorite to replace him.
Morocco beat Santos in the quarter-finals, leaving the Portuguese coach under great pressure, and according to GOALthe Portuguese Football Federation is now ready to end its eight-year stint at the helm of the national team.
Santos’ decision to leave out Cristiano Ronaldo for the round of 16 clash against Switzerland paid off, as his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win. However, he has faced some criticism for leaving Ronaldo on the bench for the Morocco tie.
Fernando Santos could be removed from his position as Portugal coach after the elimination of the World Cup
If Santos is removed from office, Portugal has no shortage of potential candidates for the job. José Mourinho has already been linked with the role, but Paulo Fonseca appears to be a strong option for the PFF.
Fonseca only took charge of France’s Lille in the summer and has a contract until 2024, but the former centre-back could be tempted by the role of national team manager.
He previously coached in Portugal, notably with Porto, and also enjoyed a successful spell in the Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk and a brief spell as Roma manager.
Lille manager Paulo Fonseca is the number one pick to succeed Santos as Portugal manager
The 49-year-old also has close ties to the Portuguese Football Federation after he and his wife Katerina became ambassadors for an FPF project that supports the reception, integration and employment of Ukrainian refugees.
Fonseca’s attractive style of soccer would also appease Portuguese fans who have often grown weary of Santos’ more conservative style. He’s also come under some scrutiny for not making more of the talent he’s had at his disposal during his tenure.
This is despite leading Portugal to their first major trophy when they defeated France to win Euro 2016 and their Nations League triumph in 2019.
Santos led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory when he won his first major tournament trophy
The appointment of a new coach could influence whether Ronaldo decides to continue his international career after Portugal’s World Cup elimination.
After the Morocco match, Ronaldo took to Instagram, where he declared that his World Cup dream was over and that he would leave it to others to draw conclusions about what’s next for the Portuguese icon.
The 37-year-old is already looking for a new club after being released by Manchester United earlier this month, but he could still end his international career after 196 caps and 118 goals.
