Liputan6.com, Jakarta Nottingham Forest surprisingly announced the dismissal of Nuno Espírito Santo as head coach in early September 2025.
This drastic decision was made after just three Premier League games of the 2025-2026 season, making him the first manager in the Premier League to lose his job this season.
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As reported by BBC, Nuno Espírito Santo's dismissal was linked to a deterioration in his relationship with club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Nuno himself admitted in August 2025 that his relationship with Marinakis was "not the same" and "not as good as before," indicating internal rifts within the club.
This situation was exacerbated by Nuno's open criticism of the club's transfer strategy, which he said left the Forest squad "unbalanced" and "very, very far" from being ready for the new season.
The dismissal came just months after Nuno Espírito Santo signed a new contract in the summer of 2025.
The contract was awarded in recognition of his success in guiding Forest to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League in the 2024-2025 season, the club's highest finish since 1994/95, and securing a Europa League spot for the first time in 30 years.
His final game in charge was a 3-0 home defeat to West Ham on August 31.
Reasons for the Dismissal and Behind-the-Scenes Controversy
The primary trigger for Nuno Espírito Santo's dismissal was a rift with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Nuno publicly stated in August 2025 that his relationship with Marinakis had broken and openly criticized senior figures at Forest responsible for transfer strategy.
He deemed the squad "unbalanced" and "very, very far" from being ready for the new season.
The decision to sack Nuno Espírito Santo was controversial, given that he had just signed a new contract in the summer of 2025.
Nuno Espírito Santo became the first Premier League manager to be sacked in the 2025-2026 season.
His final match, a 3-0 home defeat to West Ham.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest direction will be likely to choose Tottenham Hotspur's former manager, Ange Postecoglou, to replace him.
Nuno Espírito Santo Career Journey
Nuno Herlander Simões Espírito Santo, or simply Nuno, is a Portuguese-São Toméan football manager and former player.
Born on January 25, 1974, Nuno will be 51 years old in September 2025.
During his playing career, he was known as a formidable goalkeeper, beginning his career with Vitória Guimarães.
Nuno's playing career also included five years in Spain with three different teams, but his peak came with FC Porto.
With Porto, Nuno Espírito Santo won various prestigious titles, including the Portuguese Premier League (2002–03, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2008–09), Taça de Portugal, Supertaça Candido de Oliveira, UEFA Champions League (2003–04), UEFA Cup (2002–03), and Intercontinental Cup (2004).
Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Nuno Espírito Santo began his managerial career as an assistant at Panathinaikos in Greece.
He then coached several renowned clubs, including FC Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves), Tottenham Hotspur, and Al-Ittihad before finally joining Nottingham Forest.
His preferred playing style is the 4-2-3-1 formation, which he frequently employs in his teams.
Nuno's managerial achievements are quite impressive, particularly during his time at Wolves, where he led the team to promotion to the Premier League and a seventh-place finish.
At Nottingham Forest, he saved the club from relegation in his first season (2023-2024), leading them to a seventh-place Premier League finish and Europa League qualification for the 2024-2025 season.
Nuno also made history as the first Nottingham Forest manager to win the Premier League Manager of the Month award three times in a single season (October 2024, December 2024, March 2025).