Jose Riveiro has officially left Orlando Pirates and is rumored to take over as head coach of Al Ahly ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The announcement was made on Monday, with Riveiro thanking Pirates for allowing him to leave before the end of his contract. “I want to express my sincere appreciation to Orlando Pirates for allowing me the opportunity to leave before the end of my contract,” he said in a farewell message posted on the club’s official website.
Orlando Pirates confirmed that Riveiro would take charge of one final match on Tuesday before stepping down. Club chairman Irvin Khoza revealed that the coach had requested to be released early after securing a deal with a new club.
The Spanish manager’s exit comes as Al Ahly remain without a permanent manager following the departure of Marcel Koller last month. Last week, the Cairo club was rumored to be considering former Sevilla coach Javier Pimienta, but a move failed to materialize.
The Red Devils, who have won four of the last five CAF Champions League titles, are preparing for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where they are set to open the tournament against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
Riveiro joined Orlando Pirates in 2022 and is widely recognized for modernizing the team’s tactical approach. His departure from the South African club comes shortly after the team was eliminated from the CAF Champions League semi-finals by Pyramids FC.
The Spaniard has previously expressed admiration for Al Ahly. Earlier this season, the coach stated, that the Red Devils would be favorites to top whichever CAF Champions League group they are playing in. So, his potential appointment at the club would hardly come as a surprise.