The Guinean Football Federation (Feguifoot) has appointed Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte as the new head of the Syli National, tasking him with guiding the national team to a higher level after a series of disappointing results.
Duarte, who has previously managed Burkina Faso, Gabon, and Togo, was unveiled on Tuesday in Conakry. His arrival comes at a time when Guinean football is facing mounting pressure following failed campaigns in both the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and the race to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Feguifoot launched a formal recruitment process on 13 June 2025, attracting 62 applications. However, no local candidates met the key requirement of holding either a CAF A Pro or UEFA Pro coaching licence.
From a final shortlist of three, Duarte was chosen for his proven record in African football, strong qualifications, tactical vision, and financial terms considered reasonable by the federation.
Federation secretary general Ibrahima Blasco Barry praised Duarte’s “perfect knowledge of African football,” recalling his achievement of leading Burkina Faso to the AFCON final in 2013.
Under his contract, which runs until August 2027, Duarte has been given three explicit targets: to qualify Guinea for AFCON 2027, reach at least the semi-finals of the tournament, and secure a place among Africa’s top 10 in the FIFA world rankings.
These ambitions come despite Guinea’s recent struggles, with the Minister of Sports, Kéamou Bogola Haba, pledging the government’s full backing for the project.
“The State will fully support this dynamic to promote Guinean football,” he said, stressing that the current squad — featuring players such as striker Serhou Guirassy — has the talent to achieve far more than recent results suggest.
A key aspect of Duarte’s agreement is his commitment to reside in Guinea full-time, breaking from the practice of some of his predecessors who managed the national side from Europe.
His two assistants, personally selected, will also be based in the country. This permanent presence aims to foster closer ties with domestic players and enhance scouting and engagement with Guinean dual nationals playing abroad.
For Duarte, the role represents both an opportunity and a challenge — to rebuild the Syli National into a competitive force and to restore the nation’s pride on the continental stage.
The coming months will determine how quickly he can stamp his authority on the team and whether Guinea can begin the journey toward meeting its bold 2027 goals.
Lors de son introduction officielle à la tête du syli national de Guinée, Paulo Duarte a tenu à envoyer un message de soutien à nos jeunes joueurs actuellement blessés : Aguibou Camara, Saïdou Sow, Facinet Conté ainsi qu’aux joueurs libres de tout contrat qui n’ont pas encore… pic.twitter.com/w1MKQswrbk
— Syli National de Guinée FR 🇬🇳 (@sylinational_FR) August 12, 2025
