Soccer-Cape Verde coach Bubista takes club job in Morocco

Cape Verde coach Bubista has been appointed as the new coach of Morocco's Renaissance Berkane on a two-season contract, expected to leave his current role soon.

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)