Varandas, who was in charge of the medical department from 2011 until earlier this year, finished ahead of former futsal goalkeeper João Benedito in the election after a passionate campaign which saw a record 22,510 votes cast by club members.

“It’s the greatest mission of my life,” said Varandas, the club’s 43rd president, after the decision was announced in the early hours of Sunday.

Varandas will replace firebrand Bruno de Carvalho who was ousted in June in another vote by club members after a turbulent few months.

Following a Europa League defeat against Atlético Madrid in April, de Carvalho threatened to suspend almost the entire first-team squad and lashed out at the players, calling them “spoilt children”.

In May, the club’s training ground outside Lisbon suffered an attack by hooded supporters, some armed with sticks, in which Dutch forward Bas Dost was injured and the dressing room was vandalised.

Five days later, Sporting were defeated by underdogs Desportivo das Aves in the Taça de Portugal final.

Nine players quit in protest at the attack, citing just cause, and some of them accused de Carvalho of inciting anger among the fans. They included Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício, who joined English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Others to leave included deep-lying midfielder William Carvalho and forwards Gelson Martins and Ruben Ribeiro, although Dost and midfielder Bruno Fernandes later decided to stay at the club.

Former AC Milan coach Siniša Mihajlović, hired just before de Carvalho was voted out, was fired days later by the interim board. José Peseiro is now in charge of the team.

Sporting are one of Portugal’s three biggest clubs, along with Benfica and Porto, and have won the Primeira Liga 18 times, although the last of those was in 2002.

Sporting have won three and drawn one of their first four league games of the season.