Two weeks after his departure from South Africa's Orlando Pirates, José Riveiro was unveiled as the new head coach of Egypt's Al Ahly on Thursday, just ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup (June 14 - July 13).

Riveiro steps into a high-pressure role, immediately facing the challenge of leading Al Ahly in the Club World Cup in the USA. The team is placed in Group A alongside Inter Miami, Palmeiras, and FC Porto. To advance to the knockout rounds in this 32-team tournament, a top-two finish in the group stage is essential. Other African clubs participating include Sundowns, Wydad, and Espérance de Tunis.

Al Ahly, the most successful club in African football history, recently clinched their 45th Egyptian Premier League title. They boast an impressive record of 12 CAF Champions League titles, with four of those victories occurring since the 2019-20 season. This season marks one of the rare instances since then where another team might claim the trophy.

In the semi-finals of the previous CAF Champions League, Al Ahly was narrowly defeated by Mamelodi Sundowns, who also edged out Orlando Pirates for their eighth consecutive Betway Premiership title. Sundowns will now face Pyramids FC in a two-legged final, with the winner poised to become only the second team, alongside Wydad Casablanca, to break Al Ahly's dominance in African football since 2019-20.

Riveiro’s appointment comes after the departure of Marcel Koller, who was dismissed following the team’s close loss to Sundowns, underscoring the immense expectations at Al Ahly. Emad El-Nahhas had taken over as interim head coach, steering the club to their third successive Premier League title.

Joining Al Ahly on a reported two-year contract, Riveiro leaves behind a highly successful tenure at Orlando Pirates. Over three years in Johannesburg, he secured three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups. Under his leadership, the Pirates also reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, narrowly losing to Pyramids on aggregate (3-2).

Despite arriving at Pirates as a relatively unknown figure, Riveiro quickly made his mark, amassing 80 wins, 26 draws, and 26 defeats in 132 matches. His tenure ensured that even with Sundowns' significant financial investment, they always had to remain vigilant.

Riveiro’s departure from Pirates was marked by a 3-0 victory over Golden Arrows two weeks before the season's conclusion. In his farewell, he expressed his gratitude to the Pirates management for their unwavering support throughout his three-year stint.

'I will never coach any other team in SA. I am a Buccaneer and Orlando Pirates is the only club I could have the motivation and courage, energy and heart to coach in SA,' Riveiro told the media.