Ian Cathro took charge of Estoril Praia in July 2024, marking his first head coaching role since departing Heart of Midlothian seven years ago. The 38-year-old manager spent the intervening years as an assistant to Nuno Espirito Santo at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, and Al-Ittihad. According to Transfermarkt, Cathro signed a contract with the Portuguese club until June 2026.
Estoril currently occupies a mid-table position in the Primeira Liga standings. The team recently secured a 0-0 draw against Boavista and a 1-0 victory over Vitoria de Guimaraes, per ESPN match records. Cathro previously worked in Portugal as an assistant at Rio Ave between 2012 and 2014 before his move to Valencia in Spain.
His tenure at Hearts lasted seven months during the 2016-17 season, where he recorded eight wins from 30 matches. The Scottish coach replaced Vasco Seabra at Estoril, who finished 13th in the Portuguese top flight last season. Cathro remains one of the few British managers currently working in a major European league.
