Cape Verde coach Bubista resigns to join Moroccan club

Bubista has resigned from his post as Cape Verde head coach to join Moroccan club RS Berkane.

The 56-year-old guided the island nation to the last 32 of the Fifa World Cup last month, where the Blue Sharks were beaten 3-2 by eventual runners-up Argentina after extra time.

Bubista also reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with Cape Verde, having taken charge of the side in January 2020.

He has signed a two-year deal with RS Berkane, who finished second in the Moroccan top flight last season, and replaces Moin Chaabani, who has been appointed as Tunisia’s new head coach.

The team from the north-east of the kingdom are not traditionally seen as one of Morocco’s big clubs but have enjoyed success in recent years.

They claimed their first domestic league title in 2024-25 and are three-time winners of the Caf Confederation Cup, Africa’s second tier continental club competition.

Berkane caused controversy in 2024 by wearing a shirt in the Confederation Cup which featured a map of Morocco including the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

Cape Verde qualified for the World Cup for the first time ahead of Cameroon and the debutants proved to be the underdog story of this year’s finals.

Cape Verde’s football federation thanked Bubista for his “dedication, professionalism, and contribution to the development of the national team’s sporting project” before wishing him “much success” in his future endeavours.

Another African World Cup manager departs

Bubista becomes the latest coach to leave one of the 10 African sides which appeared at the World Cup.

Vladimir Petkovic parted company with Algeria, who exited against Switzerland in the last 32, by mutual consent on Monday.

The 62-year-old Bosnian, who was appointed in February 2024, had extended his contract with the Desert Foxes until 2028 earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast and South Africa will not renew deals with Emerse Fae and Hugo Broos respectively after their contracts ran out at the end of July.

Senegal sacked Pape Thiaw in the wake of their dramatic last-32 exit against Belgium, with the country’s football federation saying it had made the decision “in the best interests of Senegalese football”.

The Teranga Lions have been linked with Patrick Viera as a possible replacement.

Elsewhere, Tunisia appointed Chaabani on a four-year deal last month.

The 45-year-old replaced Herve Renard, who himself took over the Carthage Eagles one game into their Group F campaign when Sabri Lamouchi was removed after a 5-1 defeat by Sweden.

Internal discussions are continuing at the Ghana Football Association after Carlos Queiroz led the Black Stars to the last 32, where the West Africans lost 1-0 to Colombia.

Queiroz appeared to announce his own departure on social media shortly after that defeat.