Final Up to date: January 24, 2023, 18:06 IST
Fernando Santos goes from teaching Cristiano Ronaldo to main one other soccer nice, Robert Lewandowski.
A month after parting firm along with his native Portugal, Santos was introduced in Warsaw on Tuesday because the coach of Poland’s nationwide staff.
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The 68-year-old Santos grew to become Poland’s third foreign-born coach — after Leo Beenhakker and Paulo Sousa — and arrives with expertise of main high-profile gamers reminiscent of Ronaldo, who Santos even benched final month in the course of the knockout stage of the World Cup.
Now Santos might be teaching a staff captained by Lewandowski, the Barcelona striker who, at 34, is approaching the tip of his profession and would possibly solely have the European Championship in 2024 and probably the 2026 World Cup left to play on the worldwide stage.
Santos is tasked with bettering Poland’s underwhelming file at current main tournaments.
Since 1986, the nationwide staff has solely superior from the group stage at one World Cup (2022) and one European Championship (2016).
Santos, famend for being a practical, defensive-minded coach, has an excellent pedigree on the worldwide stage. In eight years with Portugal, he led the staff to the Euro 2016 title — the nation’s first worldwide trophy — and the inaugural Nations League title in 2019. He additionally coached Greece at Euro 2012, the place it reached the quarterfinals, and the 2014 World Cup.
Poland didn’t prolong the contract of Santos’ predecessor, Czeslaw Michniewicz, after reaching the knockout stage of a World Cup for the primary time in 36 years. Michniewicz’s contract ended Dec. 31.
Former Portugal and South Korea coach Paulo Bento and Liverpool nice Steven Gerrard, lately fired by Aston Villa within the Premier League, had been linked with the job after the Polish soccer federation stated it will be hiring a overseas coach.
Santos’ larger expertise might need made the distinction. On Monday, when it grew to become clear Santos can be employed, Polish Sports activities Minister Kamil Bortniczuk congratulated the soccer affiliation on Twitter on its choice and known as Santos a extremely profitable coach with “expertise in working with nice stars” reminiscent of Ronaldo.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed)