Portuguese Coach Tulipa Appointed as New Head Coach of Ararat-Armenia

FC Ararat-Armenia has announced the appointment of a new head coach. The position has been taken by Portuguese specialist Manuel Jorge da Silva Cruz, better known in the football world as Tulipa.

Tulipa boasts an impressive coaching résumé and has managed several clubs in Portugal over the years, including teams in the top division. He gained particular recognition for his successful work with FC Porto’s youth teams between 2017 and 2020, where he proved himself as an expert in developing young talent.

His most recent club was Torreense, a team competing in Portugal’s second division. Previously, Tulipa also coached Marítimo and Vizela, the latter in Portugal’s Primeira Liga — the top tier of Portuguese football.

As a reminder, in the previous season, the team was led by Armenian coach Vardan Minasyan. Under his guidance, Ararat-Armenia finished second in the 2024/25 Armenian Premier League and secured a spot in the second qualifying round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa Conference League.