He spent 11 years of his professional career with Porto, playing in several positions and winning 19 major titles whilst appearing in more than 300 official games for the club.

Born in Vila do Conde, Santos started playing with hometown's Rio Ave FC, competing two seasons in the second division and one in the third.

He moved in 1992 to FC Porto, helping the latter (often in an instrumental role) to seven Primeira Liga titles and five Taça de Portugal, having taken over from the player he idolised while growing up, António André – who had also played in his first club.

As a symbolic gesture, however, they exchanged shirts before Santos' last match, against Sporting CP (where Pinto was playing), at Estádio das Antas, in June 2003.

[5] Santos earned 30 caps for the Portugal national team,[6] scoring two goals (including a solo effort in a 1–1 away draw against Austria on 11 October 1995).