Nantes Appoints Luis Castro as New Manager on Two-Year Deal

Ligue 1 club Nantes has appointed Luis Castro as their new manager, signing a two-year contract with an option for another year. Castro previously managed second-tier side Dunkerque for two seasons and led them to the Coupe de France semi-finals and promotion playoffs. He replaces Antoine Kombouare, who was sacked at the end of last season.

Ligue 1 club Nantes has appointed Luis Castro as their new manager, signing a two-year contract with an option for another year. Castro previously managed second-tier side Dunkerque for two seasons and led them to the Coupe de France semi-finals and promotion playoffs. He replaces Antoine Kombouare, who was sacked at the end of last season [1].

Castro, a Portuguese football manager, began his career in 2002 at Vizela's youth team. He has held various managerial roles, including stints at Moreirense, Al Nassr, Vitória Guimarães, and Benfica's youth and reserve teams. His most recent achievement was leading Dunkerque to the Coupe de France semi-finals against Paris St Germain, where they took a 2-0 lead before losing 4-2 [2].

Nantes has been struggling in recent seasons, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation last season under Antoine Kombouare. The appointment of Castro aims to bring a fresh approach and potentially steer the club towards greater success and stability in the coming seasons [3].

The club has praised Castro for his "attacking philosophy, human qualities, and his ability to integrate young players into a professional group." His backroom staff, including assistants José Costa and Rui Cunha, will be finalized in the coming days [4].

Castro's appointment comes at a time when Nantes is looking to rebuild its team and regain its competitiveness in Ligue 1. The club has not won the league title since 2001, with their only major trophy since then being the 2022 French Cup under Kombouare [5].

References:
[1] https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/nantes-name-former-dunkerque-coach-castro-as-new-manager
[2] https://thescore.com/fra_fed/news/3300861
[3] https://www.flashscore.com/news/soccer-ligue-1-former-dunkerque-coach-luis-castro-confirmed-as-new-nantes-manager/W6qrIV1E/
[4] https://sports.yahoo.com/article/official-lu-castro-appointed-head-163500892.html
[5] https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/nantes-name-former-dunkerque-coach-castro-new-manager-2025-06-16/