Pedro Leitao Brito, better known as Bubista, has ended his six-year tenure as head coach of Cape Verde after being appointed by Moroccan club RS Berkane.
Bubista leaves the Blue Sharks after overseeing the most successful period in the country’s football history. His departure comes after he transformed Cape Verde into one of Africa’s most respected and competitive national sides.
The experienced coach took charge in 2020 and helped establish a team built on discipline, tactical organisation and confidence. Under his leadership, Cape Verde regularly competed with some of the continent’s leading football nations and developed a reputation for resilience, unity and an uncompromising style of play.
The defining achievement of Bubista’s time in charge came in 2025, when he led Cape Verde to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was the country’s first appearance at football’s biggest international tournament and represented a landmark moment in its sporting history.
That qualification success was followed by an impressive campaign at the World Cup. The Blue Sharks exceeded expectations with a series of courageous performances, progressing beyond the group stage before reaching the Round of 32.
Cape Verde’s displays against some of the world’s elite football nations earned widespread praise from supporters and pundits. Their progress on the global stage further strengthened the country’s growing reputation in international football and added to the standing of Bubista, who became regarded as one of the most important coaches in Cape Verde’s history.
His work with the national team extended beyond results. Bubista brought a clear footballing identity to the side, restored belief within the squad and helped create a greater sense of confidence around Cape Verdean football.
With his international coaching career now over, Bubista has moved into a new phase of his career in club football. He has been officially unveiled as the new head coach of RS Berkane and will take charge of the ambitious Moroccan club for the upcoming season.
The appointment presents a fresh challenge for the highly regarded tactician. He will be expected to build on RS Berkane’s recent domestic and continental success while applying the organisation and competitive mentality that defined his work with Cape Verde.
For the Blue Sharks, Bubista’s departure brings an end to an era that changed the country’s footballing fortunes. He leaves as a national hero, having guided Cape Verde to its first FIFA World Cup and helped establish the team as a respected force beyond the continent.
His legacy will be measured not only by victories and qualification milestones, but also by the identity and belief he created within the national side. The achievement of reaching the World Cup for the first time has permanently altered Cape Verde’s football history and ensured that Bubista’s six-year reign will be remembered for generations.
