2026 WCQ: Zimbabwe Appoint Mourinho’s Former Assistant Brito New Head Coach

Brazilian-born Baltemor Brito, a former assistant to Jose Mourinho at Porto and Chelsea, has been appointed new head coach of Zimbabwe’s senior men’s national team, Completesports.com reports.

Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) made the announcement on their X handle on Thursday.

Brito, 71, is still head coach of Zimbabwe club side Highlanders FC, who are currently second in the 18-team league, just one point off leaders Ngezi Platinum.

Zimbabwe is in Group C with Nigeria’s Super Eagles, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda and Benin Republic for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is pleased to inform the nation that it has appointed Baltemar Brito as the head coach of the senior men’s team forthwith until June 2024. He will be assisted by Bongani Mafu and Genesis Mangombe,” ZIFA wrote.

“The Normalisation Committee (NC) settled for the trio after an extensive recruitment and consultative process based on regional, continental, and global confederations’ guidelines. The NC set the coaches’ term of engagement to end at the same time with its mandate so that the next board will have the opportunity to recruit its own coaches.

Brito celebrating the 2007 FA Cup trophy with John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou

“Brito and his assistants’ first assignment will be the invitational match to celebrate Botswana’s Independence Day on 30 September. Thereafter, they will have to begin working on creating a team to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November.

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“ZIFA would like to thank Highlanders FC and Dynamos for allowing their coaches to serve the nation. The coaches will remain with their clubs and will be reporting for national assignments as and when required to do so.

“The association pleads for the nation’s patience as it continues with the recruitment of remaining national teams coaches.“

Brito was part of a quartet that also included fitness coach Rui Faria, goalkeeping coach Silvino Louro and chief scout André Villas-Boas that followed Mourinho from Porto to Chelsea in 2004.

He also specialised in audio-visual work to prepare the team for matches.

As Mourinho left Chelsea early into 2007–08, so did Brito and other assistants.