After leading Wolves back to the Premier League, Nuno Espirito Santo flopped at Spurs, but won silverware at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. He is now back in the top flight with Nottingham Forest.

Hailing from the small Portuguese island of Sao Tome off the coast of Africa, Nuno's rise is an extraordinary one.

As a player, Nuno's career started in Portugal at Vitoria Guimaraes, where he became now-superagent Jorge Mendes' first client back in 1996.

Nuno then had a stint in Spain before transferring to Porto where he was coached by Jose Mourinho, who he says "taught him to win".

But despite enjoying success as a player, Nuno is best known for his recent achievements as a coach. His managerial career took a similar path to his playing days, starting at Portugal with Rio Ave before experiencing a stint in Spain at Valencia, before returning to Porto.

However, after failing to stamp his authority at former club Porto, Nuno took charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Portuguese guided the English Championship club back to the top flight and established them in the Premier League.

After four years at the club, Nuno announced he was leaving Wolves by mutual consent at the end of the 2020/21 season. The Portuguese boss then took charge of Tottenham Hotspur, but was sacked after just four months with Spurs sat eighth in the Premier League.

Following his sacking, Nuno took the reins of Saudi Professional League side Al-Ittihad in July 2022, and guided them to their ninth league title, their first in 14 years.

But he was sacked in November 2023 after a poor run of results and losing to Iraqi side Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the AFC Champions League.

He wasn't out of work for long. He replaced Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest in December 2023.

 

Playing career

Playing his trade as a goalkeeper, Nuno started his career at Portuguese side Vitoria SC, where he battled for the first-choice spot with Neno.

In 1996, Nuno met a Portuguese nightclub owner named Jorge Mendes, agreeing to become his first client.

Mendes has since gone on to become a 'superagent', with a client portfolio that includes global superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho, Ruben Dias and Diego Costa.

After signing with Mendes, he brokered a £1million transfer of Nuno to La Liga's Deportivo, where Nuno spent six seasons. However, he spent three seasons out on loan and, when at the club, struggled to establish himself as a regular starter.

In 2002, Nuno transferred to Porto for £3million, where he would play under Mourinho. Nuno was largely used as a back-up goalkeeper, but in a 2003 Taca de Portugal game, Nuno started and converted a penalty in Porto's 7-0 drubbing of Varzim SC.

Nuno won the Champions League with Porto in 2004, despite being an unused substitute in the final against Monaco.

The following season, Nuno was transferred to the Russian Premier League to play for FC Dynamo Moscow, but after just 11 appearances he moved back to Portugal, signing for CD Aves.

For Aves, Nuno made 15 appearances in the back end of the 2006/07 season which saw the Portuguese side relegated from the Primeira Liga.

Nuno then saw out the end of his career back at Porto, where he was widely considered by fans to be a leader of the squad despite him largely being used as a back-up goalkeeper.

After three more years at his beloved Porto, Nuno retired from playing in 2010.

 

Becoming a manager - success in Spain

Following Nuno's retirement from playing, he wasted no time in joining back up with former Porto manager Jesualdo Ferreira at Malaga, where he took on the goalkeeping coaching.

In 2012, Nuno took charge of his first job as head coach at Rio Ave. Nuno's time at the Portuguese club was hugely successful, and in his second season he led them to two domestic finals and the club's first ever qualification to the Europa League.

After two seasons at Rio Ave, Nuno replaced Juan Antonio Pizzi as the manager of Spanish side Valencia. Nuno's first season resulted in a fourth-placed finish rewarding him with a contract extension.

However, after a poor start to Valencia's 2015/16 season in both La Liga and the Champions League, Nuno resigned in the November.

 

Return to Porto

After his Valencia exit, Nuno was appointed head coach of former club Porto, replacing Jose Peseiro.

After initially signing a two-year contract with the club, Nuno's trophyless first season at the club was enough to see him relieved of his duties in May 2017.

Despite just six losses in his 49 games, letting the league title slip to arch-rivals Benfica was the final nail in the coffin for Nuno. This followed on from a shock penalty shootout defeat to Chaves in the Taca de Portugal.

 

Leading the wolf pack

Just nine days after his dismissal at Porto, Nuno agreed to take charge of English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, a club with close links to his agent Mendes.

Nuno had an instant impact, winning manager of the month in the November after his Wolves side won all four games, scoring 13 goals in the process.

In his first season, Nuno ended Wolves' six-year absence from the Premier League, winning the Championship title with two games to spare and amassing 99 points while doing so.

Following their promotion, Nuno was awarded a contract extension, tying him to the club until 2021.

In his first season in the Premier League, Nuno's Wolves side were considered the dark horses of the campaign, finishing a very respectable seventh and qualifying for the Europa League for the first time since 1981.

Even more impressively, Nuno's remained consistent in his second season in the top flight, replicating Wolves' seventh-placed finish while also leading them to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

In the 2020/21 season, Wolves struggled to recreate their form of previous seasons, struggling with injuries, including a major head injury suffered by striker Raul Jiminez.

After a less than convincing league campaign left Wolves 13th in the table, the club announced that Nuno would be leaving Molineux at the end of the season by mutual consent.

The news broke ahead of the penultimate game of the season, allowing fans to pay their respects at home to Manchester United - the first game in which fans were allowed to attend following COVID-19 measures.

 

Taking charge in North London

After being heavily linked with Tottenham Hostpur after the departure of Jose Mourinho, on the 30th June 2021, Nuno was announced as Spurs manager, taking over for the 2021/22 season.

Spurs had a very lacklustre 2020/21 Premier League campaign, missing out on Europa and Champions League spaces. But things failed to improve under the Portugeuse boss.

Despite starting the season well with three consecutive wins and a Manager of the month award, Nuno's time at Spurs quickly turned rotten.

Not helped at all by wantaway captain, Harry Kane, Spurs struggled to find the net and suffered disappointing defeats to Chelsea and West Ham as well as a 3-1 loss in the north London derby.

In October, Nuno's Spurs faced under-pressure Manchester United, and a 3-0 loss proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Nuno. He was sacked just days after.

Nuno took the reins of Saudi Professional League side Al-Ittihad in July 2022, and guided them to their ninth league title, their first in 14 years.

He also won the Saudi Super Cup in January 2023 after beating Al-Fayha 2-0 in the final.

But he was sacked in November 2023 after a poor run of results and losing to Iraqi side Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the AFC Champions League.

 

The Portuguese signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at the City Ground following the sacking of Steve Cooper on December 19, 2023.

He took over at Forest with the club five points above the relegation zone.

 

Personal life

Born on the small island of Sao Tome and Principe, Nuno first moved to Portugal with his parents aged 10.

He is married to his wife named Sandra, and has three children - a son and two daughters.

Net worth

Nuno Espirito Santo's net worth is believed to be between £1-5million.