Sérgio Conceição

Later career In summer 2004, Conceição signed for Belgium's Standard Liège on a one-year deal. He won the Belgian Golden Shoe for best player of the year in his first season. However, in March 2006, he was banned for three years – the first 4.5 months of the ban taking effect immediately and the rest suspended – depending on good behaviour, for spitting on an opposing player and assaulting a referee.

After the 2006–07 campaign, Conceição failed to win any silverware with Standard, finishing runner-up in 2005–06's league and losing the 2007 final of the Belgian Cup. He decided to move to Kuwait and Qadsia on an annual salary of €1.1 million but, quickly unsettled, left.

In January 2008, after failed deals in Portugal, Conceição agreed to join PAOK in Greece, signing an 18-month contract. His unlikely signing was largely attributed to club director of football Zisis Vryzas, and the presence of Portuguese manager Fernando Santos on the bench; though he initially struggled even to return to proper fitness levels, he was instantly given the number No. 7 shirt, once worn by legendary former player (and also chairman) Theodoros Zagorakis.

Conceição was promoted to team captain in 2008–09. Along with compatriot Vieirinha, he was a regular on the team's wings and gradually became a fan favourite for his leadership and his devotion to the club; at the beginning of the following campaign, however, he was regularly troubled by knee injuries for the most part of October, managing only a few appearances.

International career Conceição played 56 times with the Portugal national team and scored 12 goals, his debut being on 9 November 1996 in a 1–0 home win over Ukraine for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In his last international game he was on the losing end of a 0–3 friendly defeat at the hands of Spain, on 6 September 2003.

Early in his international career, Conceição was not known for his scoring prowess but, at UEFA Euro 2000, Portugal reached the semi-finals with a major contribution from him: in the third and final match of the group stage, against defending champions Germany in Rotterdam, he netted a hat-trick for all of the game's goals; the national side had guaranteed first place in the first two rounds, so it played mostly with substitutes, but he cemented his place in the starting XI for the rest of the tournament and subsequent call-ups.

In qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, Conceição scored four goals as Portugal finished top in a group that also featured the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands (netting against both).

Coaching career Beginnings On 13 October 2009, Conceição announced his decision to retire as a professional footballer, and to continue working at PAOK as technical director, accepting Vryzas' proposal for the seat left vacant when he assumed presidency early on. On 30 May 2010, a few weeks after Santos' resignation as manager, he left the Thessaloniki club and rejoined another former team, as part of Standard Liège's coaching staff led by Dominique D'Onofrio.

Olhanense Conceição began his managerial career on 1 January 2012, replacing Daúto Faquirá at the helm of Olhanense in the Primeira Liga. His debut for the 10th-placed team was a 2–1 loss at Marítimo a week later, and they finished the season two positions higher.

Conceição was reported to have left the Algarve on 9 August 2012, following disputes with the board, but days later he appeared with president Isidoro Sousa to say that it was not the case. He resigned early in the new year and took legal action against the club for delayed wages by requesting their bankruptcy.

Académica On 8 April 2013, Conceição was hired as manager of his hometown team Académica, less than 24 hours after the club dismissed Pedro Emanuel from the job. They stood at 13th place when he joined, and his main goal was to avoid relegation. after leading the side to eighth place.

Braga Conceição signed a two-year contract with Braga on 26 May 2014; the team had just finished the campaign one place below Académica with the same number of points, resulting in the first time in ten years that the club was out of European competitions. After the semi-final victory at Rio Ave's ground, he made the 24-mile journey home from Vila do Conde on foot as part of a bet made with his players. The decisive match was lost to Sporting in a penalty shootout, despite leading 2–0 at half time.

Following this defeat, president António Salvador released an official statement that angered Conceição, resulting in a "violent discussion" between the two and leading to the latter's sacking.

Vitória Guimarães On 22 September 2015, Conceição resurfaced with his fourth management position in the Portuguese top-flight, at Vitória de Guimarães. On 17 January 2016, he led the side to their first home win against Porto (1–0) in 14 years. He left at the end of the season by mutual consent, after a 10th place in the championship left them out of European competitions.

Nantes Conceição was named manager of Ligue 1 club Nantes on 8 December 2016, replacing the dismissed René Girard at a side second from bottom. His debut five days later was a 3–1 home victory over Montpellier in the last 16 of the Coupe de la Ligue, followed with a 2–0 league win at Angers; his one season at the Stade de la Beaujoire resulted in a 7th-place finish.

In February 2017, Conceição was linked to the vacant managerial position at struggling Premier League title holders Leicester City, but Nantes chairman Waldemar Kita insisted he would see out his two-year contract. It was announced on 6 June that he had quit his position and accepted a proposal from Porto, citing personal reasons, including the possibility to live close to his family in Portugal.

Porto

In June 2017, after cutting ties with Nantes, Conceição replaced former teammate Nuno Espírito Santo at the helm of former side Porto. He was officially presented on the 8th, signing a two-year deal, and won 4–0 at home to Estoril on his debut on 9 August. In his first season, he led the club to the national championship after a five-year wait, and his contract was extended by another year. They reached the quarter-finals in the subsequent Champions League, where they were ousted by eventual winners Liverpool.

On 1 March 2019, Conceição signed another deal until 2021. They regained their title in 2019–20 with two games to spare, after Benfica's form worsened at the end of the campaign. Two weeks later, his team beat that opponent in the cup final to secure the double. The team again reached the last-eight in the Champions League, being defeated 2–1 on aggregate by Chelsea.

Conceição renewed his contract for three more years on 4 June 2021, until June 2024. The following 16 April, a 7–0 home rout of Portimonense equalled Milan and Olympiacos' record of 58 league matches without losing. His third league title was sealed on 7 May, with a last-minute winner by Zaidu Sanusi at Benfica, and 15 days later a 3–1 defeat of Tondela decided the domestic cup final.

On 28 January 2023, Conceição won the first Taça da Liga in Porto's history with a 2–0 victory over Sporting in Leiria, his third such final. He managed his 323rd game for the team on 8 May, a 1–0 win at Arouca with which he surpassed José Maria Pedroto's club record. On 4 June, his team won the 2023 Taça de Portugal final 2–0 against Braga, making him the first manager to win that honour three times with Porto; his ten trophies made him the second most successful in Portuguese football, after Jorge Jesus' 12.

On 25 April 2024, with weeks of his contract remaining, Conceição signed a new deal to last until 2028; the news came before presidential elections at the club. A month later, he won the Portuguese Cup with a 2–1 defeat of Sporting, becoming the third manager to lift the trophy four times; unlike Otto Glória and Pedroto, he won all of his with the same side. Shortly after, however, he announced his decision to leave on 30 June.

AC Milan On 30 December 2024, Conceição returned to the Italian top tier with AC Milan; he replaced his compatriot Paulo Fonseca, who had been dismissed the day before. On his debut four days later, he oversaw a 2–1 win over Juventus in the semi-finals of the Italian Supercup. In the final on 6 January, in which the Rossoneri started no national players for the first time in the history of the Derby della Madonnina, having done likewise in the previous match, his team came from behind 2–0 to beat Inter 3–2 and claim the title, and he became in the process their fastest manager to do so by breaking Vincenzo Montella's 2016 record of 18 games.

On 29 May 2025, following defeat to Bologna in the Italian Cup final and an eighth-place league finish, with the subsequent failure to qualify for any European competition, Conceição was fired.

Al-Ittihad On 7 October 2025, Conceição left Europe and signed a two-year contract with Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League; he took over from the sacked Laurent Blanc at the title holders. He achieved his first win 21 days later, beating Al-Nassr 2–1 in the round of 16 of the King's Cup.

Style of play Conceição was mainly known for his speed, strength and ability to cover the flank and get forward, also possessing good dribbling skills, crossing ability and a fairly accurate shot. A versatile and hard-working midfielder, he was usually deployed as a right winger, and was also capable of playing in a holding role.

Style of management During his tenure at Porto, Conceição developed a reputation for an attractive style of play based on keeping possession. He was also not afraid to make bold tactical decisions, including starting players who were more suitable to his system rather than being technically gifted.

Conceição often utilised a 4–3–2–1 formation, and his players usually embodied a fast and aggressive mentality. He occasionally deployed a 4–4–2 formation; He fathered five sons: Sérgio, Rodrigo, Moisés, Francisco and José; the second and fourth played under him at Porto.

Conceição helped ten families who were struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the intent of providing "a grocery store in every home". During an interview to RTP1 in December 2020, he stated that his hero was God and he was a devout Catholic.

Career statistics Club

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Conceição goal. Académica 8 April 2013 26 May 2014 Braga 26 May 2014 30 June 2015 Vitória Guimarães 23 September 2015 18 May 2016 Nantes 8 December 2016 6 June 2017 Porto 8 June 2017 30 June 2024 Milan 30 December 2024 29 May 2025

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Honours Player Leça Segunda Liga: 1994–95

Porto Primeira Liga: 1996–97, 1997–98,

Manager Porto Primeira Liga: 2017–18, Taça da Liga: 2022–23 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2018, 2020, 2022

AC Milan Supercoppa Italiana: 2024 Primeira Liga Manager of the Month: October/November 2018, December 2018, February 2020 December 2020, December 2021, March 2022