Tonight, 13 May 2025, marks the end of José Riveiro’s remarkable journey with Orlando Pirates.

The Spanish coach will lead the Buccaneers for the 132nd and final time as they take on Lamontville Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium in a rescheduled Betway Premiership fixture.

His early departure, confirmed by the club, comes after he requested to be released from his contract ahead of schedule, having agreed terms with a new club—widely reported to be Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly.

Riveiro’s exit closes a memorable chapter in Pirates’ recent history. Since arriving in South Africa, he has brought stability, tactical intelligence, and silverware to a club hungry for consistency and glory.

His tenure has been defined by standout achievements, including an unmatched five consecutive Soweto Derby victories—making him the only coach in the PSL era to achieve such a feat. He also became the first to oversee eight straight Soweto Derbies that all produced a result, avoiding the all-too-common stalemates in South African football’s fiercest rivalry. Perhaps most impressively, between September and November 2024, he guided the team to seven straight league wins, setting another record in the PSL era for the club.

Despite a heartbreaking loss to Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final, Pirates secured their place in next season’s CAF Champions League on Sunday after Stellenbosch failed to overtake them. With four league matches still to be played after tonight—against TS Galaxy, SuperSport United, AmaZulu, and Magesi—assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi will take over on an interim basis, supported by Head Performance Analyst Rayaan Jacobs.

Riveiro’s departure was handled with mutual respect. Club chairman Irvin Khoza praised the coach’s professionalism and impact, noting that while the timing wasn’t ideal, the club wanted to honour his request after all he had contributed. “We learned a lot from him, and he learned a lot from us,” said Khoza.

The coach, visibly emotional in his farewell message, expressed deep gratitude to everyone at the club—management, technical staff, players, and the unseen figures who supported the team daily.

“Goodbyes have never been easy for me,” Riveiro admitted. “This moment is no different.”

As he walks out of the tunnel one last time in the black and white of Orlando Pirates, José Riveiro leaves behind more than just statistics. He leaves a legacy—built on excellence, resilience, and a touch of Spanish flair that reignited belief in Mayfair.