The Egyptian football club Al Ahly officially contracted Portuguese coach Ricardo Soares today, Thursday, to lead the team, succeeding South African Pitso Mosimane. Al Ahly announced on its official website the signing of Soares (47 years old), who was the coach of Gil Vicente in the Portuguese Premier League last season, as the head coach for two years and the remaining matches of the current season.
The Portuguese coach arrived in Cairo on Wednesday and completed all contractual procedures, holding a lengthy meeting with Mahmoud El Khatib, the president of Al Ahly, who oversees football matters, and Yassin Mansour, the president of Al Ahly Football Company.
Soares began his coaching career in 2005 and has managed 13 clubs, most notably Deportivo Aves in the 2017-2018 season, while the other teams were from lower divisions. He will coach Al Ahly under a contract extending until 2023, with a buyout clause worth 250,000 euros in case of his departure.
Soares led Gil Vicente to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League after finishing behind Porto, Lisbon, Benfica, and Braga in the Portuguese league last season. His preferred playing style is 4-3-3, and he holds the "UEFA Pro" coaching license from the European Football Association.
