Introducing Beşiktaş’s New Coach: Fernando Santos
Beşiktaş Appoints Fernando Santos as Technical Director
Beşiktaş has made an exciting announcement, revealing that Fernando Santos, former coach of the Portuguese National Team, has been appointed as the club’s new technical director.
But who is Fernando Santos?
Fernando Santos began his football career in the Benfica infrastructure and later went on to become a professional player at Estoril, where he made 216 appearances for the team. Interestingly, Santos not only pursued a successful sports career but also studied Electronics and Communication Engineering.
Following his retirement from playing, Santos transitioned into coaching and went on to lead some of Portugal’s biggest teams, including Porto, Benfica, and Sporting Lisbon, at various points in his career. During his time at Porto, he achieved considerable success, securing the League championship, 2 Portuguese Cups, and 2 Portuguese Super Cups.
Santos also spent a brief period coaching in Greece, where he won the Greek Cup with AEK and guided both AEK and PAOK to the Champions League. His achievements in Greece did not go unnoticed, as he was honored as coach of the year on multiple occasions and was also named sportsman of the year.
One of Santos’ most notable accomplishments came during his tenure as the coach of the Greek National Team, guiding them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 and the second round of the 2014 World Cup for the first time in their history.
However, Santos truly made his mark when he took over as the head coach of the Portuguese National Team, leading them to victory in the 2016 European Championship and the Nations Cup in 2019, marking the country’s first major successes in its history.
In addition to his coaching achievements, Santos played a pivotal role in the success of the Polish national team before assuming his new role at Beşiktaş.
The numerous trophies won by Santos throughout his career include the EURO 2016 and the UEFA Nations League, in addition to domestic titles such as the Portuguese League, Portuguese Cup, Portuguese Super Cup, and Greek Cup.
Santos’ impressive track record is reflected in the average points per match achieved by the teams he has coached. The Portuguese National Team, for instance, achieved an average of 2.06 points per match under his leadership, highlighting his ability to drive success on the pitch.
With the appointment of Fernando Santos, Beşiktaş is undoubtedly looking to benefit from his wealth of experience and proven track record as they strive for success in the upcoming seasons.
