Paulo Fonseca believes he is taking charge of his boyhood club, Sporting CP, at "the right time" following a decade away from Portugal.

Fonseca was confirmed as the Lisbon giants' new head coach on Wednesday, having left Lyon earlier that day.

He departs Ligue 1 with Lyon sitting third in the table, having won 46 of his 82 matches in charge of the club across all competitions (D12 L24).

Fonseca previously coached Porto in 2013-14 and Braga in 2015-16, leading the latter to the Taca de Portugal before embarking on a career across the continent.

He spent three years with Shakhtar Donetsk, winning the Ukrainian Premier League in each of his three seasons there, before having spells with Roma, Lille and AC Milan.

And now, after sampling various leagues in a bid to develop as a coach, he feels well-prepared to take on the job he always wanted. 

"I am a professional, but I cannot fail to say that this club has always been special to me," Fonseca said at his introductory press conference, having signed a four-year contract.

"I've been a fan since I was a child. There are dreams that come true, and mine has come true.

"I return to Portugal 10 years on, after going through some great teams, different championships and, as the president said, always with the aim of being in the top five leagues – this was because I wanted to grow.

Paulo Fonseca assina até 𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎 e é o novo treinador dos Leões  Bem-vindo a Casa, míster  https://t.co/gQvFs9AXBg

— Sporting CP (@SportingCP) November 4, 2026

"Now, I feel like I have reached the right time to be coach of Sporting CP. This is the moment when I feel best prepared to face this challenge.

"One thing that attracted and motivated me a lot is the quality of this young squad. I am extremely motivated to work with these young players, who I believe in immensely. 

"I'm sure that, together, we will build something special for Sporting CP. I am aware that it is an important moment for Sporting CP."

Sporting are third in the Primeira Liga after 10 games, nine points adrift of leaders Porto – who have a perfect record – and four behind their Lisbon rivals Benfica.

Sporting sacked Rui Borges on Monday and, according to Lyon, have agreed to pay €5m in compensation for Fonseca, whose first game in charge will be against Moreirense on Saturday.