Nuno Espírito Santo

Club career

Early career / Deportivo

Espírito Santo was born in São Tomé, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, before moving to Portugal at the age of 8. He started his football career with Vitória Guimarães. After a meeting with the then Porto nightclub owner Jorge Mendes, Espírito Santo became the agent's first client in 1996. Mendes brokered a $1 million transfer the following January to La Liga's Deportivo La Coruña, although Espírito Santo spent three of his six seasons at the club out on loan, backing up Jacques Songo'o (1996–1998) and José Francisco Molina (2001–02) when he was part of the team. He was the preferred goalkeeper for the winning campaign in the Copa del Rey in the latter season, although Javier Irureta played Molina in the final victory over Real Madrid.

In 1999–2000, as he represented Mérida in the Segunda División, Espírito Santo won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy and helped the team finish sixth, but the club would be relegated to Segunda División B due to irregularities. He was loaned to Osasuna the following season, going on to rank seventh in the Zamora as his team finished only one point above the relegation zone in the top tier.

Porto

José Mourinho's Porto paid €3 million to sign Espírito Santo in July 2002, as part of the deal that saw Jorge Andrade join Deportivo. During a 2003 Taça de Portugal match against Varzim, he was allowed by Mourinho to convert a penalty kick, scoring the club's last goal in a 7–0 home win. In May 2004, Espírito Santo was an unused substitute for the final as Porto won the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League. On 12 December, he replaced club great Vítor Baía during extra time of the 2004 Intercontinental Cup final penalty shoot-out victory against Once Caldas. However, in January, he was sold to Russian Premier League club Dynamo Moscow.

In January 2007, Espírito Santo returned to Portugal for a stint with Aves, eventually relegated from the Primeira Liga. He returned to Porto in July, backing up Brazilian Helton during most of his spell. Despite his limited involvement on the pitch – earning him the nickname O Substituto – he was considered a leader at the club.

Espírito Santo 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 1–0 final win against Paços de Ferreira.

International career

Born in São Tomé and Príncipe, Espírito Santo moved to Portugal at a young age and hold dual Portuguese and Santomean citizenship. He represented Portugal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, playing four matches for the fourth-placed team. He also played for the nation's B team. Uncapped, he was called to the senior squad competing in UEFA Euro 2008, replacing the injured Quim, but did not play a match.

Coaching career

Beginnings

On 21 June 2010, Porto announced that Espírito Santo'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 as a goalkeeping coach, before the pair signed for Panathinaikos in November.

Rio Ave

In May 2012, Rio Ave dismissed manager Carlos Brito and announced the appointment of Espírito Santo. In his first match in charge on 18 August, the team lost 1–0 at home to Marítimo in the first game of the 2012–13 Primeira Liga season. He recorded his first win nine days later, by the same margin away to Sporting CP.

In his second season in charge, Espírito Santo's team reached both the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga finals, therefore leading them to the UEFA Europa League for the first time in their history.

Valencia

Espírito Santo signed a one-year contract with Valencia in La Liga on 4 July 2014, replacing 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 season, Highlights included 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 1–0 away defeat to Sevilla, after a poor start to both Valencia's La Liga and Champions League campaigns.

During his time at Valencia, Espírito Santo, his agent Jorge Mendes and club owner Peter Lim were criticised for signing the agent's clients. Roberto Ayala, who won several trophies as a Valencia player and later became a scout, left the club, alleging that they were signing such players for inflated fees.

Porto

On 1 June 2016, Espírito Santo signed a two-year contract with Porto, replacing former head coach José Peseiro. His first game on 12 August was a return to the Estádio dos Arcos, where his team came from behind to beat Rio Ave 3–1. However, after a season devoid of silverware which included a second-place finish in the league, he was relieved of his duties on 22 May 2017.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 31 May 2017, Espírito Santo was named as the new head coach of EFL Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing a three-year contract. He was voted the competition's Manager of the Month in November as his team won all four of their games, scoring 13 goals. 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 Wolves manager had secured the award, in the club's fifth season in the competition. Wolves finished seventh in the 2018–19 league season; it was the club's highest Premier League ranking, and their highest in the English top-flight since the 1979–80 season when they finished sixth. Wolves also qualified for a European competition for the first time since the 1980–81 UEFA Cup, reaching the UEFA Europa League.

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, sandwiching the 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. The season saw Espírito Santo's team achieve a second consecutive seventh-place finish in the Premier League (with a record points total for Wolves in the Premier League of 59), and reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League, the club's best such performance since being finalists in the 1971–72 UEFA Cup.

On 13 September 2020, at the outset of the 2020–21 season, Espírito Santo's contract at the club was extended until summer 2023. He was named the Premier League Manager of the Month for October with a run of four fixtures unbeaten, including three wins without conceding; this was the third time he had received the award. On 27 February 2021, he took charge of his 102nd Premier League game as Wolves head coach as his team played out a 1–1 draw with Newcastle United at St James' Park, surpassing Mick McCarthy as the longest-serving Wolves head coach in the Premier League era. On 21 May, Wolves announced that Espírito Santo would leave the club by mutual consent at the end of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur

On 30 June 2021, Tottenham Hotspur announced Espírito Santo as their new head coach on a two-year contract with an option to extend for a third year. On his debut on 15 August, the team won 1–0 at home against reigning champions Manchester City through a Son Heung-min goal. On 29 August, he achieved the best start to a Premier League season for Tottenham after beating Watford to secure three wins from their first three matches. He won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for August, the fourth of his career. On 1 November, after his team lost 3–0 at home to Manchester United, their fifth loss in seven matches and which left them ninth in the table, Espírito Santo was dismissed after less than four months in charge. He was replaced the following day by Antonio Conte.

Al-Ittihad

On 4 July 2022, Espírito Santo was appointed by Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. He held talks for a return to Wolves in October. He won the 2022 Saudi Super Cup on 29 January 2023 with a 2–0 final win over Al Fayha. On 27 May, he won the club's first league title in 14 years, also after beating Al-Fayha 3–0 with one match remaining in the league.

Espírito Santo was dismissed on 8 November 2023, two days after a 2–0 loss to Iraqi club Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.

Nottingham Forest

2023–24: Relegation battle

On 20 December 2023, Espírito Santo was appointed head coach of Premier League club Nottingham Forest, following the dismissal of Steve Cooper. His appointment at Nottingham Forest also reunited him with former players at Wolves, such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Willy Boly.

The side's first win under his tenure came on 26 December as they beat Newcastle United 3–1. This was followed by a 2–1 home win against Manchester United, which was Forest's first Premier League victory over the club in 29 years.

On the final day of the season, Espírito Santo led Forest to a 2–1 away win over Burnley to secure the club's survival from relegation with a 17th-placed finish in the league.

2024–25: Pushing up the table and departure

On 14 September 2024, Espírito Santo led Forest to a 1–0 away win over Liverpool at Anfield, which was the first time the club had won at Liverpool in any competition since February 1969, ending a 25-game winless run at Anfield, and securing Espírito Santo's first ever Premier League victory against Liverpool. Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the winning goal in the 72nd minute.

Espírito Santo led Nottingham Forest to their first win at Old Trafford since 1994 on 7 December 2024, securing a 3–2 victory over Manchester United.

After securing a sixth consecutive Premier League win with a 3–0 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on 6 January 2025, Nottingham Forest sat third in the Premier League table on the same 40-point total as Arsenal in second place. This defied the expectations of many journalists and pundits, who had predicted at the start of the season that Forest would struggle and get relegated to the EFL Championship. Subsequently, Espírito Santo won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for his oversight of Forest's performances in December 2024.

In April 2025, Espírito Santo was announced as the Premier League Manager of the Month for March. This marks the third time he has won the award this season, having previously claimed it in October and December 2024. He became the first Nottingham Forest manager to win the award three times in a single season. He ultimately led the club to a seventh-place finish and qualification for the Europa League, marking their first participation in European football in 30 years.

On 21 June 2025, Nuno signed a new contract to stay with Nottingham Forest until 2028. However, on 9 September 2025, he was dismissed from his duties only three Premier League games into the new season. His departure was primarily due to his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis breaking down over the summer, with Nuno also publically expressing his displeasure with the club's activity in the transfer market.

West Ham United

On 27 September 2025, Espírito Santo was appointed head coach of Premier League club West Ham United on a three-year contract, following the dismissal of Graham Potter. His arrival meant that he would reunite with former Wolves player Maximilian Kilman. He started his tenure as manager with a 1–1 draw at the Hill Dickinson Stadium against Everton on 29 September. On 1st November, his first win came in a 3–1 win over Newcastle United with goals from Lucas Paquetá, Tomáš Souček and an own goal from Sven Botman and it was the first time the Hammers won at home since beating Leicester City 2–0 in February.

Personal life

Espírito Santo and his wife Sandra have three children as of 2020. On 4 May 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Sport by the University of Wolverhampton.

Managerial statistics

Honours

Player

Deportivo

• Copa del Rey: 2001–02

Porto

• Primeira Liga: 2002–03, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2008–09
• Taça de Portugal: 2002–03, 2008–09
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2003, 2004, 2009
• UEFA Champions League: 2003–04
• UEFA Cup: 2002–03
• Intercontinental Cup: 2004
• Taça da Liga runner-up: 2009–10

Individual

• Ricardo Zamora Trophy: 1999–2000 (Segunda División)

Manager

Wolverhampton Wanderers

• EFL Championship: 2017–18

Al-Ittihad

• Saudi Pro League: 2022–23
• Saudi Super Cup: 2022

Individual

• La Liga Manager of the Month: September 2014, December 2014, February 2015
• EFL Championship Manager of the Month: November 2017
• LMA Manager of the Year: 2017–18 EFL Championship
• Premier League Manager of the Month: September 2018, June 2020, October 2020, August 2021, October 2024, December 2024, March 2025
• Saudi Pro League Manager of the Month: March 2023, April 2023, August 2023

References

References

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