Sérgio Conceição facts for kids
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Conceição as Porto manager in 2023
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sérgio Paulo Marceneiro da Conceição | ||
| Date of birth | 15 November 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Coimbra, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1986–1991 | Académica | ||
| 1991–1993 | Porto | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1998 | Porto | 56 | (9) |
| 1993–1994 | → Penafiel (loan) | 30 | (1) |
| 1994–1995 | → Leça (loan) | 24 | (3) |
| 1995–1996 | → Felgueiras (loan) | 30 | (4) |
| 1998–2000 | Lazio | 63 | (7) |
| 2000–2001 | Parma | 25 | (5) |
| 2001–2003 | Inter Milan | 42 | (1) |
| 2003–2004 | Lazio | 7 | (0) |
| 2004 | Porto | 11 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Standard Liège | 74 | (21) |
| 2007 | Qadsia | 7 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | PAOK | 41 | (5) |
| Total | 410 | (61) | |
| International career | |||
| 1995–1996 | Portugal U21 | 7 | (1) |
| 1996–2003 | Portugal | 56 | (12) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Standard Liège (assistant) | ||
| 2012–2013 | Olhanense | ||
| 2013–2014 | Académica | ||
| 2014–2015 | Braga | ||
| 2015–2016 | Vitória Guimarães | ||
| 2016–2017 | Nantes | ||
| 2017–2024 | Porto | ||
| 2024–2025 | AC Milan | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Sérgio Conceição (born on November 15, 1974) is a famous Portuguese football manager and former player. He used to play as a right winger.
During his playing career, Sérgio played for many teams in different countries. He became well-known at Porto in Portugal. Later, he moved to Italy and played for clubs like Lazio, where he won important trophies. He played 97 games in Portugal's top league and 136 games in Italy's top league. He also played 56 times for the Portuguese national team, scoring 12 goals. He represented Portugal in major tournaments like Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup.
After retiring as a player, Conceição started coaching in 2012. He managed several teams in Portugal and also Nantes in France. He became the manager with the most games coached for Porto, winning 11 trophies. This included three league titles and two "doubles" (winning the league and cup in the same season). After leaving Porto in June 2024, he joined AC Milan in Italy in December 2024, but left six months later.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Sérgio Conceição was born in Coimbra, Portugal, and grew up in a place called Ribeira de Frades. He started playing football in the youth teams of his hometown club, Académica. His father was a bricklayer and his mother was a homemaker. Sérgio was one of eight children. As a child, he was a big fan of Sporting CP.
When Sérgio was 16, his father passed away in a motorbike accident. This happened just one day after Sérgio joined Porto's football academy. Two years later, his mother, who used a wheelchair due to health issues, also passed away. His younger brother also died when Sérgio was still a teenager. Sérgio later said this was the hardest time in his life. He even thought about quitting football because he felt lost.
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Portugal
Conceição began his professional career playing on loan for teams like Penafiel and Leça. He first played in Portugal's top league, the Primeira Liga, with Felgueiras. He scored four goals for them in the 1995–96 season.
After his loan spells, he returned to Porto. His fast runs down the right side of the field and his ability to score goals helped Porto win two national championships in a row. They also won the Taça de Portugal, which is Portugal's main cup competition.
Success in Italy
In 1998, Conceição moved to Italy to play for Lazio. He won the Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup) in his very first game, scoring the winning goal against Juventus. He was a key player when Lazio won the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, a big European trophy. He also scored five goals in 33 games in his first season in Italy's top league, Serie A. He helped Lazio win the Scudetto (the Italian league title), the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup), and the 1999 UEFA Super Cup. This meant Lazio won a "double" in the 1999–2000 season.
In July 2000, Conceição moved to Parma. He scored in his first game for them in a European match. His team reached the Italian Cup final that year.
Before the 2001–02 season, Conceição joined Inter Milan. He played for two seasons there before returning to Lazio. He then moved back to his former club, Porto, in 2003–04. He helped Porto win his third Portuguese national championship. He scored his only goal in his second time at Porto from a penalty spot in a cup game.
Later Career Abroad
In 2004, Conceição signed with Standard Liège in Belgium. He was named the best player of the year in Belgium, winning the Belgian Golden Shoe in his first season. However, he later faced a suspension due to an incident during a game.
After the 2006–07 season, he moved to Kuwait to play for Qadsia. He quickly became unsettled there and left.
In January 2008, Conceição joined PAOK in Greece. He became the team captain in 2008–09. He was a regular player on the team's wings and became a favorite among fans because of his leadership and dedication.
Playing for Portugal
Sérgio Conceição played 56 times for the Portuguese national team and scored 12 goals. His first game for Portugal was in November 1996. His last international game was in September 2003.
He became famous for his scoring at UEFA Euro 2000. In a group stage match against Germany, he scored three goals, which is called a hat-trick. This helped Portugal win the game and secure first place in their group. His performance helped him become a regular starter for the rest of the tournament, where Portugal reached the semi-finals.
In the qualifiers for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Conceição scored four goals. Portugal finished first in their group, which included strong teams like the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
Coaching Career
Starting as a Coach
On October 13, 2009, Conceição announced he was retiring as a player. He decided to continue working at PAOK as a technical director. In May 2010, he left PAOK and joined Standard Liège again, this time as part of their coaching staff.
Managing in Portugal
Conceição started his career as a head coach on January 1, 2012, taking over Olhanense in Portugal's top league. He helped the team finish higher in the league. He later resigned from Olhanense due to disagreements.
On April 8, 2013, Conceição became the manager of his hometown team, Académica. His main goal was to help the team avoid being relegated to a lower league. He left at the end of the 2013–14 season, after leading the team to an eighth-place finish.
Conceição then signed with Braga in May 2014. He led them to a fourth-place finish in the league and to the final of the domestic cup. After winning the semi-final, he walked 24 miles home as part of a bet with his players! Braga lost the final in a penalty shootout. After this, disagreements led to his departure from Braga.
On September 22, 2015, Conceição became the manager of Vitória de Guimarães. In January 2016, he led them to their first home win against Porto in 14 years. He left the club at the end of the season.
Coaching in France
Conceição was named manager of French club Nantes in December 2016. The team was near the bottom of the league. His first game was a 3–1 win. He led Nantes to a 7th-place finish in the league.
In June 2017, he left Nantes to accept an offer from Porto, saying he wanted to be closer to his family in Portugal.
Return to Porto as Manager
In June 2017, Sérgio Conceição became the manager of his former club, Porto. He signed a two-year deal. In his first season, he led Porto to win the national championship after a five-year wait. His contract was extended. Porto also reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
On March 1, 2019, Conceição signed another deal until 2021. Porto won the league title again in 2019–20. Two weeks later, his team beat Benfica in the cup final to win the "double." The team also reached the last eight in the Champions League again.
Conceição renewed his contract for three more years in June 2021. On April 16, 2022, Porto equaled a record of 58 league matches without losing. His third league title was secured on May 7, 2022. Fifteen days later, Porto won the domestic cup final.
On January 28, 2023, Conceição won Porto's first-ever Taça da Liga (League Cup). On May 8, he managed his 323rd game for Porto, breaking a club record. On June 4, his team won the Portuguese Cup again. With ten trophies, he became one of the most successful managers in Portuguese football history.
On April 25, 2024, Conceição signed a new deal to stay at Porto until 2028. A month later, he won the Portuguese Cup again, making him the third manager to win it four times. However, shortly after, he announced his decision to leave Porto on June 30, 2024.
Time at AC Milan
On December 30, 2024, Conceição returned to Italy's top league to manage AC Milan. In his first game, he led them to a 2–1 win over Juventus in the Italian Supercup semi-finals. In the final on January 6, 2025, his team came back from being 2–0 down to beat Inter 3–2 and win the title. He became the fastest manager in AC Milan's history to win a trophy.
However, on May 29, 2025, after losing the Italian Cup final and finishing eighth in the league, AC Milan did not qualify for any European competitions. Because of this, Conceição was dismissed.
Playing Style
As a player, Conceição was known for his speed, strength, and ability to run down the wing. He was also good at dribbling, crossing the ball, and had a good shot. He was a versatile and hard-working midfielder, usually playing as a right winger, but he could also play in a more defensive role.
Coaching Style
As a coach at Porto, Conceição became known for an exciting style of play that focused on keeping possession of the ball. He was also brave with his tactical choices, sometimes choosing players who fit his system best, even if they weren't the most famous.
Conceição often used a 4–3–2–1 formation. His teams usually played with a fast and aggressive mindset. He sometimes used a 4–4–2 formation. Famous coach Fabio Capello said that Conceição's teams are "solid and balanced" and that he is "capable of working with both important players and prospective players: he brings out the best in everyone."
Personal Life
The city of Coimbra named a 2,500-seat stadium after him, called the Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição. He has five sons: Sérgio, Rodrigo, Moisés, Francisco, and José. Two of his sons, Rodrigo and Francisco, played under him at Porto.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Conceição helped ten families who were struggling financially by providing them with groceries. In an interview in December 2020, he said that his hero was God and that he is a devoted Catholic.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Penafiel | 1993–94 | Segunda Divisão | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 1 | ||
| Leça | 1994–95 | Segunda Divisão | 24 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 4 | ||
| Felgueiras | 1995–96 | Primeira Divisão | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 4 | ||
| Porto | 1996–97 | Primeira Divisão | 26 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 2 |
| 1997–98 | Primeira Divisão | 30 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 8 | |
| Total | 56 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 77 | 10 | ||
| Lazio | 1998–99 | Serie A | 33 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 7 |
| 1999–2000 | Serie A | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 4 | |
| Total | 63 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 87 | 11 | ||
| Parma | 2000–01 | Serie A | 25 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 36 | 7 | |
| Inter Milan | 2001–02 | Serie A | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 32 | 1 | |
| 2002–03 | Serie A | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | ||
| Total | 42 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 0 | — | 65 | 2 | |||
| Lazio | 2003–04 | Serie A | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |
| Porto | 2003–04 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| Standard Liège | 2004–05 | Belgian First Division | 27 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 34 | 11 | |
| 2005–06 | Belgian First Division | 25 | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 7 | |||
| 2006–07 | Belgian First Division | 22 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 4 | ||
| Total | 74 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 90 | 22 | |||
| Qadsia | 2007–08 | Kuwait Premier League | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| PAOK | 2007–08 | Super League Greece | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | Super League Greece | 28 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 31 | 6 | |||
| 2009–10 | Super League Greece | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| Total | 41 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 47 | 6 | |||
| Career total | 410 | 56 | 42 | 6 | 69 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 526 | 68 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 1996 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 12 | 5 | |
| 2001 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2003 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 56 | 12 | |
- Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Conceição goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 October 1997 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisboa, Portugal |  Northern Ireland |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 26 March 1999 | Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal |  Azerbaijan |
4–0 | 7–0 | Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 3 | 20 June 2000 | Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Netherlands |  Germany |
1–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2000 |
| 4 | 20 June 2000 | Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Germany |
2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2000 |
| 5 | 20 June 2000 | Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Germany |
3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2000 |
| 6 | 7 October 2000 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal |  Republic of Ireland |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2002 World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 11 October 2000 | De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands |  Netherlands |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2002 World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 1 September 2001 | Camp d'Esports, Lleida, Spain |  Andorra |
6–1 | 7–1 | 2002 World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 5 September 2001 | Antonis Papadopoulos, Larnaca, Cyprus |  Cyprus |
3–1 | 3–1 | 2002 World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 27 March 2002 | Estádio do Bessa, Porto, Portugal |  Finland |
1–2 | 1–4 | Friendly |
| 11 | 17 April 2002 | Estádio José Alvalade (1956), Lisbon, Portugal |  Brazil |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 12 | 16 October 2002 | Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden |  Sweden |
1–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Olhanense |  |
2 January 2012 | 7 January 2013 | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 43 | 45 | −2 | 29.41 | |
| Académica | |
8 April 2013 | 26 May 2014 | 41 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 29.27 | |
| Braga | |
26 May 2014 | 30 June 2015 | 45 | 24 | 10 | 11 | 81 | 38 | +43 | 53.33 | |
| Vitória Guimarães | |
23 September 2015 | 18 May 2016 | 31 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 43 | 52 | −9 | 25.81 | |
| Nantes |  |
8 December 2016 | 6 June 2017 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 36 | 33 | +3 | 50.00 | |
| Porto | |
8 June 2017 | 30 June 2024 | 379 | 274 | 53 | 52 | 812 | 314 | +498 | 72.30 | |
| Milan |  |
30 December 2024 | 29 May 2025 | 31 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 51.61 | |
| Career Total | 587 | 357 | 110 | 120 | 1,099 | 563 | +536 | 60.82 | — | |||
Honours and Awards
As a Player
Leça
- Segunda Liga: 1994–95
Porto
- Primeira Liga: 1996–97, 1997–98, 2003–04
- Taça de Portugal: 1997–98
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1996
Lazio
- Serie A: 1999–2000
- Coppa Italia: 1999–2000, 2003–04
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1998
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Super Cup: 1999
Portugal National Team
- UEFA European Championship third place: 2000
- UEFA European Under-18 Championship runner-up: 1992
Individual Awards
- Belgian Golden Shoe: 2005
As a Manager
Porto
- Primeira Liga: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22
- Taça de Portugal: 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
- Taça da Liga: 2022–23
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2018, 2020, 2022
AC Milan
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2024
Individual Awards
- Primeira Liga Best Coach: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22
- Primeira Liga Manager of the Month: October/November 2018, December 2018, February 2020 December 2020, December 2021, March 2022
See also
In Spanish: Sérgio Conceição para niños
