Nuno Santos

Santos's current-season form is level with last season (Season 2→0), while his Rating eased 32→22. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 50).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Sporting CP · 2nd	4	0	1	6.68	21	2
2024/25	Sporting CP · 1st	7	0	0	7.22	32	2
2023/24	Sporting CP · 1st	32	5	10	7.37	51	43
2022/23	Sporting CP · 4th	31	7	5	7.32	56	40
2021/22	Sporting CP · 2nd	32	6	7	7.18	62	41

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 6 earlier seasons and 4 youth-team spells in the full career.

Portugal · international

Side	Apps	G
Portugal U21	2	0
Portugal U20	4	2
Portugal U19	6	3

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCreative Full-back

Nuno Santos is a 31-year-old full-back at Sporting CP, rated 21.8 overall by Field Insider's model. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member this season (2.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 1.3 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Santos.

On the season, Santos graded 0 for current form (age-blind), on 0 clean sheets and 1.304 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 2 → 0). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 22. At 31 Santos is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 3.7 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Holding levelRemarkably consistent

21.8

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

0.1

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

2.3%

Minutes

limited game time

1.3

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · Sporting CP finished 2nd of 18 · a title-challenging side

Apps

1.3

Def. / 90

Tackles

—

Interceptions

Clean sheets

1.3 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume across 4 appearances. Behind a title-challenging side (2nd of 18) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 1.3 goal involvements per 90, useful for a full-back.
Creativity. 1.3 assists per 90 — a genuine creative outlet.

Watch points

Game time. Only 2.3% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 21.8 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (1.3 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %2.3%

Available fixtures34 of 34

Goals / 900

Assists / 901.304

Goal contribution / 901.304

Defensive actions / 901.304

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Cards / 900

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~8), then tapers with age. At 31, Santos sits on 3.7, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Santos's projected Rating — 21.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Transfer history

Rio AveJul 2017 – nowFree

Benfica(back from loan)Jul 2017 – Jul 2017

Vitoria(on loan)Jul 2016 – Jul 2017

Benficauntil Jul 2016

About Nuno Santos

Nuno Miguel Gomes dos Santos is a 31-year-old full-back who plays for Sporting CP, born on February 13, 1995 in Trofa, standing 177 cm tall. He is from Portugal. Sporting CP currently sit 2nd of 18 in the Primeira Liga.

This season

In the current season, Nuno Santos has made 4 appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist across 69 minutes.

Nuno Santos's next match is on September 5, 2026, when Sporting CP face Nacional at home in the Primeira Liga.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Nuno Santos at 21.8 with a Season form score of 0.1. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 13 career titles — among them the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 13 recorded seasons, Nuno Santos has totalled 283 club appearances with 45 goals and 43 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2014/15, with 36 appearances for Benfica B.

Nuno Santos's career has also included time at Rio Ave, Benfica and Vitoria.

On the international stage, Nuno Santos has represented Portugal U21, Portugal U20, Portugal U19 — 12 caps and 5 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Sporting CP finished 2nd of 18 · a title-challenging side

Strengths

Watch points