After a legacy of decisive defeats and a goal from Greece that took the cup out of the country in 2004, it is understandable that Éder's goal did not seem enough with 11 minutes left in a 120 minutes game. I was at the airport waiting for a flight, surrounded by a few Portuguese who, like me, never thought Portugal would reach the final.
But what changed?
If we look at big organizations, there are 3 things they do and have always done. Whether we talk about General Electric in the 1980s, Microsoft in the 1990s, or Google in 2000, there are three things that gave them an advantage:
The same applies to the Portuguese team.
Formerly, the national team had a playing style that entertained the fans but lacked consistency and, therefore, championships. Today, the team seems to know exactly what to do to win: defend first and wait for a goal opportunity. The reality is that we have effective strikers who can make the difference in seconds, but first, we need to make sure the ball doesn't get in our goal. This strategic clarity is critical to achieve results.1
As everyone knows what they need to do, players follow the tactic “by the letter”, executing it with rigor and discipline. So when we watch a Portugal match at the World Cup we notice that as the opposing team is attacking the players are positioned behind the ball line, with the common goal of nullifying the opponent's move. At this point, we must also thank the team’s captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, for being a leader who inspires the team for his undeniable discipline and rigorous working method.2
Finally, from the coaching staff to the players, everyone gives their best every day, promoting a high-performance culture. Everyone works for the same result, trying to perfect their individual role with a strategy in mind. The reality is that the Portuguese national team's course was anything but easy during Euro 2016, but the focus allowed them to overcome the less good.3
At first, the Portuguese complained that it was an “ugly” game, which Portugal could not win in 90 minutes and that “Eusébio's days were the golden times”. Then comes the victory that never felt so good! And this victory was only possible because the coach was able to analyze the resources he had and design the tactic according to strengths and weaknesses, giving players what 99% of companies lack: strategic clarity.
Fernando Santos seems to have changed the history of the Portuguese national team by bringing strategic clarity to the field, motivating discipline and being objective in criticism, leading to a high-performance culture. And this seems to prove that what works for business works for football.