The head coach of the Portuguese national football team, Fernando Santos, has been dismissed. After Portugal’s exit from the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he was fired by the Portuguese Football Federation. Santos was heavily criticized after keeping captain Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in the knockout and quarter-finals. But he was maintaining that it was not a mistake not to place Ronaldo in the starting 11. Portugal was eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Criticism of coach Santos increased after losing to Morocco, who reached the quarter-finals for the first time. The Portuguese Football Federation signed a contract with him until 2024. But he was fired before the end of the contract. He was associated as the head coach for the last eight years.