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Rabat – AS FAR has officially appointed Portuguese coach Pedro Valdemar Soares Gonçalves as the club’s new head coach, ushering in a new chapter for the military side following the departure of compatriot Alexandre Santos.
AS FAR club confirmed that Gonçalves will take charge of the first team for the next two seasons of (2026-2027) after Santos’s tenure came to an end following a season and a half at the helm.
Reports of the Portuguese tactician’s arrival had intensified in recent days, with local media indicating that Gonçalves was expected to attend Wednesday’s Throne Cup clash between AS FAR and Stade Marocain from the stands of the Olympic Stadium in Rabat as negotiations reached their final stages.
The coaching transition comes at a time of change for the club on and off the pitch. AS FAR entered the match without captain Rabie Hrimat, who is reportedly close to completing a move to a Gulf club, while Abdelfettah Hadraf returned to the team after serving his suspension.
Officiated by referee Younes El Oudini with Mohamed El Houidri overseeing VAR duties, the match also marked the final Coupe du Trône fixture before the competition pauses until the start of the upcoming season.
Gonçalves now faces the task of maintaining AS FAR’s domestic competitiveness while meeting the expectations that accompany one of Morocco’s most decorated clubs. His appointment also reflects a broader trend in Moroccan football, where clubs have increasingly turned to Portuguese coaches and technical expertise in pursuit of continental success and long-term sporting development.
For AS FAR, the arrival of Gonçalves represents more than a simple change in the dugout; it signals the beginning of a new cycle as the club seeks to transform stability on the bench into silverware on the pitch and a stronger presence on the African stage.
