Pedro Leitao Brito, known as Bubista, resigned as coach of the Cape Verde national football team in mid-2026 to take the head coach position at Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane (RS Berkane) [1, 2, 3, 4]. The 56-year-old Bubista has signed a two-year contract with RS Berkane, replacing Moïne Chaabani, who became Tunisia’s national coach on a four-year deal [2, 4].
Bubista guided Cape Verde to their first-ever World Cup appearance, leading the team to the round of 32 in the 2026 tournament before a narrow 3-2 loss to Argentina after extra time [1, 2, 3, 4]. During group play, Cape Verde drew against Spain and Uruguay, surprising many with their performances [1, 4]. The team’s veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, aged 40, was a key figure in the 0-0 draw with Spain [4].!
At the World Cup, Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a goal against Argentina that was voted the best of the tournament [4]. Bubista was praised for leading the team to new heights, having taken charge in January 2020 and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [2]. He earned the African Coach of the Year award in 2025 following Cape Verde’s World Cup qualification [1, 3].
RS Berkane is a northeastern Moroccan club with strong recent success, including winning the Morocco domestic league in the 2024-25 season and finishing runners-up the following year [1, 2, 3]. The club also reached the African Champions League semi-finals last season and is competing again this year [1, 3]. RS Berkane has won the CAF Confederation Cup three times [2, 4].
The Cape Verde football federation publicly thanked Bubista for his "dedication, professionalism, and contribution to the development of the national team's sporting project" [2, 4]. Bubista’s departure marks the end of a six-and-a-half-year tenure that elevated Cape Verde football on the international stage.
Bubista will begin his new role immediately as RS Berkane competes domestically and in the African Champions League this season [1, 3].
