TugaScout is an English-language site reporting on matters associated with Portuguese football by freelance writer Alex Goncalves, offering the latest news, reviews and opinions surrounding the Portuguese League and the Seleção players based abroad.

Portuguese manager shortlisted for FIFA Men's Coach of the Year award

There are a lot of highly-regarded Portuguese football managers currently plying their trade across Europe.

From the likes of Leonardo Jardim and Paulo Fonseca in France and Italy respectively to Everton’s Marco Silva and Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo, there are top Portuguese coaches impressing all around the continent.

You don’t need to look far from home either to see some young, talented Portuguese managers that should go on to have magnificent managerial careers, with both Bruno Lage and Sergio Conceicao of Benfica and Porto respectively very highly regarded in Portugal.

However, only one Portuguese manager ended up being shortlisted for the FIFA Manager of the Year award for their achievements this campaign - and it wasn’t a club manager.

Instead, Portugal national team head coach Fernando Santos was the Portuguese man selected as one of the final ten nominees for the prestigious award.

His inclusion on the list comes after Portugal lifted their second trophy in three years thanks to their Nations League triumph on home soil back in June.

He is joined on the shortlist by Djamel Belmadi (Algeria), Didier Deschamps (France), Marcelo Gallardo (River Plate), Ricardo Gareca (Peru), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham), Erik ten Hag (Ajax), and Tite (Brazil).

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