While Michał Probierz was the hero as Poland qualified for Euro 2024, Fernando Santos will have still been delighted.
Poland reached the tournament in Germany with a penalty win over Wales, but they shouldn’t have even needed to go through the play-offs.
The Poles were clear favourites to qualify from Group E, but instead ended up third behind Albania and Czechia.
Euro 2016-winning Portugal coach Santos was responsible for such a poor run, managing the side to three wins and three defeats, the worst of which came against minnows Moldova.
Now at Besiktas, Santos was fired by Poland in September, just eight months and six games into his tenure, which was meant to run until the 2026 World Cup.
His spell was also hugely criticised for negative football, as well as his perceived lack of interest in going to watch his players live.
Yet despite all of that, Polish outlet TVP SPORT claim the 69-year-old still received €180,000 from the Polish FA for the side making the Euros.
It was stipulated in Santos’ contract that he would have earned €750,000 for doing it all himself, but he still claimed a hefty payout for Probierz finishing the job.
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