Nuno Espírito Santo


Nuno Herlander Simões Espírito Santo, known simply as Nuno as a player, is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and head coach of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
During his career he first made a name for himself in Spain, playing for three teams in five years. He later returned to Portugal to represent Porto, and also played professionally in Russia; he was part of the Portuguese squad at Euro 2008, but never won a cap for the national team.
Espírito Santo became a manager in 2012, leading Rio Ave to both domestic cup finals in 2014 before taking the reins at Valencia.

Playing career

Early career / Deportivo

Born in São Tomé, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, Nuno started his football career with Vitória S.C. in Guimarães, battling from age 20 with veteran Neno for first-choice status. After a meeting with the then Porto nightclub owner Jorge Mendes he became the agent's first client in 1996; Mendes brokered a $1 million transfer the following January to La Liga's Deportivo de La Coruña, but Nuno would spend three of his six seasons in Galicia out on loan, backing up Jacques Songo'o and José Francisco Molina when he was part of the team.
In 1999–2000, as he represented CP Mérida in the Spanish second division, Nuno won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy and helped the side finish sixth, but it would be relegated to the third level due to irregularities. The following season he was loaned to CA Osasuna, going on to rank seventh in the Zamora as his team finished only one point above the relegation zone in the top tier.

Porto

's FC Porto paid €3 million to bring Nuno back to the country in July 2002, as part of the deal that saw Jorge Andrade join Deportivo. During a 2003 Taça de Portugal match against Varzim SC, he was allowed by Mourinho to convert a penalty kick, scoring the club's last goal in a 7–0 home routing. In May 2004, Nuno was an unused substitute as Porto won the UEFA Champions League
final. On 12 December 2004, he replaced club great Vítor Baía during extra time of the Intercontinental Cup final penalty shootout victory against Once Caldas; however, in January, he was sold to Russian Premier League's FC Dynamo Moscow.
Again in January, in 2007, Nuno returned to Portugal for a stint with C.D. Aves, eventually relegated from the Primeira Liga. In July he returned to Porto, backing up Brazilian Helton during most of his spell. Despite his limited involvement on the pitch, he was considered a leader of the club.
Nuno again played second-fiddle to Helton during the 2008–09 season appearing in only four games, but was the starter throughout the domestic cup campaign, including the final win against F.C. Paços de Ferreira.

International

Nuno represented Portugal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, playing four matches for the fourth-placed team. Uncapped, he was called to the full squad competing in UEFA Euro 2008, replacing the injured Quim.

Coaching career

Beginnings

On 21 June 2010, Porto announced Nuno's contract would not be renewed. The 36-year-old said he would always support Porto as he left. After his retirement he rejoined former Porto manager Jesualdo Ferreira, moving to Málaga CF as a goalkeeping coach; the pair signed for Panathinaikos FC in November 2010.

Rio Ave

In May 2012, Rio Ave F.C. sacked manager Carlos Brito and announced the appointment of Espírito Santo. In his second season in charge, the team reached both the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga finals, also leading them to the UEFA Europa League for the first time in their history.

Valencia

Espírito Santo signed a one-year contract with Valencia CF in La Liga on 4 July 2014, replacing the fired Juan Antonio Pizzi. On 12 January 2015, he agreed to an extension to keep him at the club until 2018, and he eventually led them to a fourth place finish in his first year, highlights including a 2–1 home win over Real Madrid and a 2–2 away draw against the same opponent, while he was named La Liga Manager of the Month three times; he resigned on 29 November 2015, following a 0–1 away defeat to Sevilla FC, after a poor start to both Valencia's La Liga and Champions League campaigns.

Porto

On 1 June 2016, Espírito Santo signed a two-year contract with Porto, replacing former head coach José Peseiro. The following 22 May, however, after a season devoid of silverware which included a second place in the league, he was relieved of his duties.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 31 May 2017, Espírito Santo was named as the new head coach of English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing a three-year deal. He was voted the competition's Manager of the Month in November as his team won all four of their games, scoring 13 times.
Espírito Santo led the club to the Premier League after a six-year absence, achieving promotion with four matches remaining in the season and being confirmed as champions with two games to spare. On 10 July 2018, it was announced that his contract had been extended until 2021.
Espírito Santo was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month title in his second month managing in the English top division after his team went unbeaten in September 2018, accruing ten points from four matches and only conceding one goal. It was the first time that a Wolverhampton Wanderers manager had secured the award, in the club's fifth season in the competition.
On 4 May 2019, Espírito Santo was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Sport by the University of Wolverhampton.
Wolves finished seventh in the 2018–19 league season; it was the club's highest Premier League rank and their highest in the English top flight since the 1979–80 season, when they finished sixth. Wolves also qualified for the Europa League for the first time since 1980–81.
Espírito Santo was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month title for a second time on 10 July 2020 for a run of five fixtures unbeaten between the beginning of March and the end of June, sandwiched temporary suspension of the 2019–20 Premier League due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom). The run included four wins and four clean sheets.

Managerial statistics

Honours

Player

Deportivo
Porto
Individual
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Individual