Marco Silva given for granted at Benfica after leaving Fulham

The Portuguese coach did not want to renew with the Londoners and agreed to a two-season contract plus an option with the Red and Blacks. Vai receives around five million euros net per year, says O JOGO.

The Portuguese coach Marco Silva will leave the technical command of Fulham, after five years at the helm of the Londoners, the English League club announced this Tuesday.

“The club can confirm that Marco Silva will step down from his role as Fulham manager this summer. It is a position Silva has held for five years – making him Fulham’s third longest-serving manager and fifth in the Football League [competições profissionais] -, one passage crowned with success”, reads the club’s website.

Quoted by cottagersthe 48-year-old coach — who, apparently, refused a renewal proposal from the Londoners — thanked the support received over the last five years, considering that they achieved “a lot together”.

“My coaching staff and I have always felt your support. It will never be forgotten. Fulham will forever be in my heart and sooner or later I will return to Craven Cottage [estádio do Fulham]”, said the 48-year-old coach.

“Everything agreed” with Benfica

Marco Silva has been linked, by the Portuguese press, as the main candidate for a possible succession to José Mourinho as coach of Benfica.

The former Sporting coach will have a contract for two seasons, until 2028, with one more option. You will receive, still according to, approximately five million euros net per year. An agreement was only reached after a meeting with Jorge Mendes, which brought the parties together in a decisive way, said the sports newspaper.

Mourinho’s departure for Real Madrid should be confirmed after the Merengues elections, scheduled for this Sunday.

Almost a decade in England

After five seasons at Fulham, Marco Silva ends a decade-long trajectory in English football, which began at Hull City (2016/17), followed by Watford (2017/18) and Everton (2018 to 2019), before moving to cottagersin 2021/22, in what was the only season in which he did not play in the Premier League.

That year, led the Londoners to the title of champion of the Championship, the second tier in England, and respective promotion to the Premier Leaguein which it achieved, consecutively, a 10th place (2022/23), a 13th (2023/24), and two 11ths (2024/25 and 2025/26).

Estoril, lions and passage through Greece

With a coaching career that began at Estoril Praia — the club where he left as a player and where he was also sporting director —, won the II Liga title with the Estorilistas in the first season, in 2011/12and in the following two led them, respectively, to the fifth and fourth place in the main division, as well as qualifying for the Europa League in both.

Then, he went to Sporting and, in the only season under the command of the Lions, he came third in the I League and won the Portuguese Cup, in the final against Sporting de Braga, in 2014/15.

Between leaving the green and whites and going to England, he guided the Greek side Olympiacos, for whom he lifted the Hellenic champion trophy in 2015/16.