London, United Kingdom- Fulham Football Club announced today that Luis Boa Morte will be leaving his position as the first-team coach at the conclusion of this season. The 46-year-old Portuguese is set to embark on a new journey as the head coach of the Guinea-Bissau national team. Boa Morte, a former Fulham player, joined the Cottagers' coaching staff in 2021, reuniting with head coach Marco Silva, with whom he previously collaborated at Sporting Lisbon and Everton.
Boa Morte's storied connection with Fulham spans several years, having donned the club's jersey in over 150 matches between 2001 and 2007. "Everyone at Fulham would like to thank Boa for his efforts since his return to the club, and wishes him the best of luck in this next chapter when he departs following our season finale away to Luton Town," the club stated in an official release.
This appointment marks Boa Morte's inaugural foray into international football coaching, taking the helm of Guinea-Bissau, a team currently ranked 118th in the world. Known affectionately as the African Wild Dogs, Guinea-Bissau's national team has struggled on the international stage, never having qualified for the World Cup and failing to advance beyond the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations in their four appearances.
Boa Morte's coaching career has been budding with potential, his only prior managerial role being with Portuguese fourth-tier team Sintrense from 2017 to 2018. As a player, Boa Morte's career was distinguished by his technical skill and versatility, winning the Premier League title with Arsenal in 1998 and representing Portugal 28 times, scoring once. Beyond his time with Fulham, he also played for West Ham, Southampton, and had brief stints in Greece and South Africa.
Guinea-Bissau's football federation looks forward to the new perspective and experience Boa Morte brings to the team. Despite their recent struggles at this year's Nations Cup in Ivory Coast, where they lost all three group games, there is optimism that Boa Morte's leadership can rejuvenate the squad and possibly steer them to unprecedented success.
As Boa Morte prepares to transition from Fulham to the international stage, both his past contributions and future potential are being celebrated. Fulham fans and supporters of Guinea-Bissau alike will be eagerly watching as Boa Morte embarks on this new chapter in his footballing career.
