New generation! Who is Vasco Matos, Portuguese boss in talks with Vasco? | OneFootball

Vasco is in advanced talks to hire coach Vasco Matos as a replacement for Renato Gaúcho. The club’s board is taking a close look at the Portuguese manager’s career, seen as one of the most promising names of the new generation in Portugal’s football, with the aim of aligning his tactical methods with the characteristics of the current squad.

The coach’s career on the touchline began soon after he hung up his boots as a striker in 2016. He immediately obtained his UEFA coaching licenses and took over as assistant coach at Leixões, later moving to Vilafranquense in 2017 before gaining national attention while managing Alverca in 2019, when he shocked the country by knocking giant Sporting out of the Portuguese Cup with a 2-0 scoreline.

+ Vasco opens negotiations with Portuguese coach Vasco Matos

Negotiations with Vasco Matos

The real leap in quality and spotlight came from 2023 onward, when he took charge of Santa Clara. Leading the modest club, the coach now discussing the direction of the project with Vasco won the second division title and achieved a surprising 5th-place finish in the top flight of the Portuguese League in the 2024/2025 season, leaving the job in January 2026 after a negative run of eight matches.

Tactically, the highlight of his work is defensive solidity, having earned promotion while conceding only 19 goals and posting the fifth-best defense in the top division with 32 goals conceded in 34 matches. The manager prioritizes strict daily discipline with his players, setting up his teams in a 3-4-3 formation, emphasizing collective behavior in a low block and breaking out with quick, fast-paced attacking transitions.

Tactical style and connections

Interestingly, Vasco Matos helped develop player Matheus Nunes, known as MT, who originally came through Vasco’s youth academy as an attacking midfielder. Under the Portuguese coach in European football, the youngster was successfully converted into a left wing-back and defender, becoming one of the club’s main technical pillars.

In demand on the domestic market, the manager came very close to signing with Botafogo in 2025, but the deal fell through due to bureaucratic disagreements in the final stretch of negotiations. Currently a free agent, he remains eager to work outside his home country to take the next step in his career and views the opportunity to take charge of Vasco da Gama very positively.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.