PETALING JAYA: It was the departure nobody saw coming.
Selangor confirmed that winger Alvin Fortes has left the club after two and a half seasons, bringing an end to one of the most productive individual stints in the Red Giants’ recent history.
The Cape Verde international, 32, arrived at the club in Feb 2024 as a largely unknown figure but quickly became the heartbeat of Selangor’s attack, player whose left foot, searing pace, and sheer creativity on the flanks made him a fan favourite every match day.
Across 79 appearances and 5,085 minutes, Fortes contributed 33 goals and 17 assists in all competitions.
His debut season alone yielded 20 goals and seven assists, which saw him extended for another season.
In a statement issued by the club, they mentioned some of the games Fortes made an impact for the club during the seasons he played for them.
“Among his most memorable moments in the Red and Yellow were a brace against Perak in Ipoh, his trademark pieces of magic against Terengganu, and a stunning late free-kick off the bench against Penang, a curling, left-footed effort that encapsulated everything supporters loved about him,” said the statement.
“His performances at club level also revived his international career. Fortes earned a recall to the Cape Verde national team in 2025 for a series of friendlies, his first involvement since 2018.”
But statistics alone do not capture what made Fortes special.
During the 2024-25 campaign, he became the only player in Selangor’s squad to score in all five competitions, the Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup, MFL Challenge Cup and the AFC Champions League Two, to mark his consistency and reliability.
His individual brilliance was matched by collective success.
Fortes played a key role in Selangor finishing second in back-to-back Super League seasons, qualifying for Asian competition in consecutive years, reaching the FA Cup final in 2024, and lifting the MFL Challenge Cup.
Selangor expressed their appreciation to Fortes for his service and wished him well in the next chapter of his career as they look for a new import player to replace the wily Fortes.
