Bruno Fernandes has paid tribute to departing Portugal manager Fernando Santos after the veteran boss was sacked this week.
Santos, who guided Portugal to their inaugural major tournament win at Euro 2016, has paid the price for an underwhelming World Cup. The Selecao headed to Qatar as one of the pre-tournament favourites but crashed out to Morocco at the quarter-final stage.
The 68-year-old had a contract which extended to the summer of 2024, but on Thursday it was confirmed the two parties had come to a mutual agreement to go in a new direction.
“It was an honour to have a coach and a person like Fernando Santos at the head of the National Team,” a statement from the Portuguese FA reads.
“The FPF thanks Fernando Santos and his technical team for the services provided over eight unique years and believes that this thanks is also made on behalf of the Portuguese people. The FPF Board will now begin the process of choosing the next national coach.”
Santos’ final tournament in charge was littered with controversy after he opted to drop the talismanic Cristiano Ronaldo for their knockout clashes. The former Manchester United striker managed one goal in the group stages, but was replaced by Goncalo Ramos for the games with Switzerland and Morocco.
That decision sparked rumours of a rift between player and manager, although Ronaldo insisted he had no intention of turning his back on his country. His partner Georgina Rodriguez did little to quash speculation of a feud however, penning a pointed message to Santos after their elimination.
“Today your friend and coach made the wrong decision,” she posted after the defeat to Morocco. "That friend for whom you have so many words of admiration and respect. The same one who, when putting you on the field, saw how everything changed, but it was too late.
“You can’t underestimate the best player in the world, its most powerful weapon. Much less should one stand up for those who don’t deserve it.”
However, Fernandes appeared to show no ill-feeling towards Santos for their failure in Qatar and penned an emotional tribute to Portugal’s most successful ever manager. “Many thanks to mister Fernando Santos. Thank you for the opportunity to represent our country and for the trust in us the past few years,” he posted on social media.
“As a Portuguese, thank you for putting Portugal at the top of Europe and returning confidence and belief to a ‘small’ country that it was possible to be among the ‘big ones’.
“Moments of glory and joy and others of sadness and frustration, but history was made and will forever be marked in the hearts of all Portuguese.”
The United midfielder was one of the stars of Portugal’s campaign and easily outshone his former Old Trafford colleague. Fernandes was also forced to deny rumours of his own fallout with Ronaldo after their frosty dressing room handshake went viral at the start of the tournament.
After the game with Morocco he went on record to insist that the decision to drop Ronaldo wasn’t the reason for their exit. He said: "Maybe because he is who he is, people click more often on his news, to see what he is about.
"It was not for any of this that the Selection did not go further. We simply couldn't beat Morocco."
