Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca have appointed 52-year-old Portuguese manager Ricardo Sá Pinto as their new head coach.
This marks Sá Pinto’s first venture into African football, though he has a wealth of experience across Asia, Europe, and South America.
Notably, he managed Portuguese giants and his boyhood club, Sporting Lisbon. His managerial resume also includes stints at APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus, Gaziantep FK in Turkey, Legia Warsaw in Poland, Standard Liège in Belgium, and Greek sides Atromitos Athens and OFI Crete.
He also took charge of Red Star Belgrade in Serbia, as well as SC Braga, Belenenses, and Moreirense in his native Portugal.
In Asia, Sá Pinto led Iranian club Esteghlal FC and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Fateh, while in South America, he managed Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.
Throughout his career, Sá Pinto has won three major trophies: the Belgian Cup with Standard Liège, the Iranian Super Cup with Esteghlal FC, and the Cypriot League with APOEL Nicosia.
He replaces Bosnian manager Rusmir Cviko, who was dismissed after just 64 days in charge, following six matches. Cviko’s tenure included two league defeats in five games, which ultimately led to his departure.