Orlando Pirates have appointed Abdeslam Ouaddou as the new head coach of the senior team ahead of their four pre-season international friendly matches in July.
As the successor to Jose Riveiro, who won five trophies in three seasons, including making it to the CAF Champions League semifinals, Ouaddou has big shoes to fill.
Riveiro has since been appointed as the head coach of Al Ahly.
The 46-year-old, who was born in Alnif, Morocco, is a seasoned coach who brings a wealth of experience as a player and a tactician, according to a statement on Pirates’ website.
Ouaddou, a former Moroccan international, had a stellar playing career in several elite European leagues and amassed 68 caps for the Atlas Lions.
He is well-positioned to guide the Buccaneers into a new era because of his extensive knowledge of the game and strong leadership qualities.
Pre-season preparations
Mandla Ncikazi, Rayaan Jacobs, Helmi Gueldich, and Tyron Damons will support Ouaddou, who is anticipated to land in South Africa at the end of the week.
He is expected to lead his technical team as Pirates start their pre-season preparations on June 27, before their friendly matches.
Pirates are scheduled to travel to Marbella, Spain, for their third consecutive international preseason tour.
The team will play top-tier friendly matches against European opponents such as Bolton Wanderers (England), Pafos FC (Cyprus), Las Palmas (Spain), and Granada (Spain) during the training camp, which is scheduled to run from July 8 to July 20.
It is unclear what Ouaddou will bring to the notoriously difficult-to-please Buccaneers’ camp, as Riveiro won three MTN8 and two Nedbank Cup titles before the team finished the 2025–26 Betway Premiership season in second place behind Mamelodi Sundowns.
