Al Ahly appoint former Orlando Pirates boss Jose Riveiro as head coach

The Spanish coach, 48, arrives in Cairo following his departure from Pirates earlier this month. Riveiro was granted an early release on May 12 to pursue "a new opportunity," with his final match in charge of the Soweto giants a 3-0 victory over Golden Arrows the following day.

His appointment marks a new era at the record 10-time African champions, who earlier this week clinched their 45th Egyptian Premier League title. Al Ahly confirmed the news in a statement on Thursday, following days of speculation surrounding Riveiro's arrival.

"Sporting director Mohamed Youssef announced the signing of Spanish coach José Riveiro as head coach of the first football team for two years," the club said.

"Club president Mahmoud El Khatib met with the new technical staff. During the meeting, they agreed on working mechanisms for the next phase, defined responsibilities, and emphasised full cooperation among all staff members to serve the team's interests."

Riveiro replaces Swiss manager Marcel Koller, who was dismissed after a mixed campaign despite domestic success. The timing of the announcement suggests Al Ahly were waiting to officially conclude their title-winning season before unveiling their new coaching setup.

Riveiro arrives with a strong resume from his time at Pirates. In just under three seasons, he led the South African side to five domestic trophies, including a remarkable three consecutive MTN8 titles and back-to-back Nedbank Cups. His leadership also saw Pirates emerge as serious league contenders, narrowing the gap to perennial champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

On the continental front, Riveiro guided the Buccaneers to the CAF Champions League semi-finals in the 2024/25 campaign - their first since 2013 - with an unbeaten group stage run that saw them top their group with 14 points, ahead of Al Ahly's nine.

The new Al Ahly coaching staff will include several familiar faces from Pirates: assistant Carlos Nodar, physical trainer Miguel Pepeira, goalkeeper coach Juan Jose, and performance analyst Sebastian Podsiadly.

Riveiro now faces the challenge of adapting to the intense pressure and high expectations at one of Africa's most successful clubs, with immediate targets including success at the Club World Cup and continued dominance on the continent.