Cape Verde coach Bubista takes club job in Morocco

Aug 4 : Cape Verde coach Bubista, who took the small island nation to the last 32 in their World Cup debut last month, has been appointed coach at Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane, the club said on Tuesday.

He has signed a two-season contract after protracted negotiations that included the possibility that he might stay on as Cape Verde coach and juggle the two jobs.

The 56-year-old Bubista is, however, expected to quit the Cape Verde job in the next few days, according to media reports.

RS Berkane won the Moroccan league in 2025 and were runners-up this year. They also reached the African Champions League semi-finals last season, and will participate in the continent’s top club competition again.

Bubista, whose real name is Pedro Leitao Brito, was named African Coach of the Year in 2025 after securing World Cup qualification for Cape Verde. 

The team pulled off shock draws with Spain and Uruguay at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States, before losing to Argentina after extra time in the round of 32.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Jan Harvey and Ed Osmond)