Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will become Chelsea manager after the European Championship.

The Premier League club announced Avram Grant's replacement on its Web site Wednesday after Scolari's side secured a quarterfinal berth by beating the Czech Republic 3-1.

Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich's hiring of a World Cup winner is starkly different to the surprise that greeted the inexperienced Grant's appointment last September.

Scolari, who guided his native Brazil to its fifth world title in 2002, will take up the Chelsea job on July 1, becoming the fourth manager since 2003.

The 59-year-old former defender has never managed a European club, but has won the Copa Libertadores, South America's knockout competition, with Brazilian clubs Gremio and Palmeiras.

 "Felipe has great qualities," Chelsea said in a statement. "He is one of the world's top coaches with a record of success at country and club level, he gets the best out of a talented squad of players and his ambitions and expectations match ours.

"He was the outstanding choice."

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo backed the move and could come up against Scolari next season if he remains at Manchester United.

"He needs to look for his future. I respect that," said Ronaldo, who scored one of Portugal's three goals yesterday. "If he has better conditions, better things for the family and for him, I respect that. This is football, it's always like that."

Scolari's Portugal lost the Euro 2004 final on home soil to Greece and was ousted by France in 2006 World Cup semifinals.

"It would be hard to leave, for the beauty of the country and for all that Portugal has," he said Tuesday, a day before the contract was announced. "It's hard, but I'm a professional. I lived and I can live anywhere in the world. I have to be prepared for anything."

Scolari rejected the chance to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager in 2006 because he didn't want to make a decision before or during the World Cup.

Chelsea fans could have to wait until the end of Euro 2008 to hear Scolari's plans.

"Out of respect for his current role as head coach of the Portuguese national team, and to ensure minimum disruption to his work, there will be no further comment from Chelsea FC nor from Felipe about his new role until his employment with us commences," Chelsea said.

Scolari is due to hold a press conference in Switzerland on Thursday. His spokesman didn't have any immediate comment.

Grant left Stamford Bridge last month after finishing second to Manchester United in the Premier League title race and the Champions League.

Most fans never warmed to the dour Israeli, ruing the departure of his charismatic predecessor Jose Mourinho, who led the Blues to two Premier League titles.

But supporters will hope Scolari, whose fierce temper contrasts the mild-mannered Grant and suave Mourinho, is the sort of figure that can prevent an exodus of talent from the club.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily June 12, 2008)