Andre Villas-Boas celebrates wildly after becoming Porto president with landslide election win... as the ex-Chelsea and Tottenham boss declares the Portuguese giants are 'free again'

Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has been confirmed as president of Porto after a landslide election victory.

The 46-year-old has not managed a club since leaving his last role with Marseille in February 2021.

Villas-Boas, who took charge of 81 top flight matches in England between 2011 and 2013, secured a return to his former club Porto with a stunning election victory.

The former Porto manager secured 80.3 per cent of the vote to unseat Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the 86-year-old incumbent, who had been in charge for 42 years.

Villas-Boas appeared outside his campaign headquarters wearing a Porto shirt and scarf, leading his supporters by chanting 'Porto'.

The 46-year-old claimed after his election victory that 'Porto is free again'.

'I am very happy, proud and honored by this opportunity that you give me,' Villas-Boas said, as reported by Portuguese newspaper Record. 

'I hope to meet the demands of all Porto fans, which is to win, win titles and sustain our club for the future, which is the most important thing. 

'This is the FC Porto that we all want and need: strong, reinvigorated, with race and where the members dictated its change today and face the challenges that lie ahead. 

'We will need to maintain our courage to fight on and off the pitch to regain the place that is ours by destiny.

'We have a long mission ahead of us. I work hard in a house that has to be structured, tidy and organised. 

'Let there be no doubt that today FC Porto is free again.'

Villas-Boas succeeds Pinto da Costa, who had the backing of the club's Ultras ahead of the election.

Pinto da Costa had overseen Porto's rise from mediocrity to a European powerhouse.

They had won four titles in 42 years before Pinto da Costa became president. Yet, during his reign, which is the longest in world football, the Dragons have won 23 Primeira Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League in 2004 under Jose Mourinho, the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League.

Villas-Boas thanked his predecessor for 'everything he gave to Porto' and said the club would 'always be his home'.

The new Porto president is expected to be in the stands for Porto's clash with Sporting Lisbon on Sunday evening.

He admitted 'we'll see' when asked whether he would require security to do so, having allegedly been the target of intimidation in recent months. He alleged in November that an employee of his was left hospitalised and had property stolen.

Porto head into the match against league leaders Sporting third in the table, 18 points adrift of the visitors. 

As Porto boss, Villas-Boas became the youngest manager to win a European trophy, leading the club to the Europa League as a 33-year-old back in 2011.

Porto completed an unbeaten league campaign the same season, with the league and Portuguese cup completing a Treble.

This led to him being named Chelsea manager, but he lasted just eight months at Stamford Bridge before being sacked and replaced by Roberto Di Matteo.

Tottenham called upon his services just four months later, but within 18 months he departed the north London outfit after a disappointing start to the 2013-14 season.

Since leaving Spurs he has gone on to manage Zenit Saint Petersburg, Shanghai SIPG and Marseille.

Villas-Boas has also tried his luck at rally car racing, competing in the Dakar Rally in 2018.