Al-Ula FC, aiming to secure a place among the elite of the Saudi Professional League, announced a major technical move by signing veteran Portuguese coach José Peseiro to lead the team for the remainder of the 2025/26 season. This move comes at a crucial time for the club, which seeks to bolster its promotion chances, relying on the experience of a coach with a distinguished track record in Arab and international football.
Return to Saudi stadiums after a long absence
This assignment is not just a fleeting experience for the 65-year-old coach; it's a return to Saudi Arabia, a country he knew well more than a decade ago. Between February 2009 and January 2011, Peseiro was the head coach of the Saudi national team, a period marked by dramatic upheavals and major challenges.
During that period, Peseiro led the Saudi national team in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, successfully guiding them to advanced stages. They reached the thrilling Asian playoff against Bahrain, which ended in a dramatic draw, eliminating Saudi Arabia on away goals. Despite the disappointing end to those qualifiers, Peseiro left a clear mark, managing 25 international matches, winning 10, drawing 10, and losing only 5, before his tenure concluded after the first match of the 2011 Asian Cup.
Global expertise and recent continental achievements
Peseiro's career didn't end with his previous stint in Saudi Arabia; he amassed extensive experience that makes him a valuable asset to Al-Ula Club. He has coached prestigious European clubs such as Porto, Sporting Lisbon, and Braga in Portugal, in addition to notable experiences in the Arab world with Zamalek of Egypt and Al-Wahda of the UAE. Internationally, Peseiro recently enjoyed a period of success with the Nigerian national team, leading the "Super Eagles" to the final of the last Africa Cup of Nations, demonstrating his continued tactical acumen and ability to manage high-stakes matches.
Al-Ula's challenges and ambition to ascend to the Roshan League
Peseiro faces a different challenge this time, taking the reins at Al-Ula Club, which sits fourth in the Yellow League standings with 27 points. Despite the fierce competition, the numbers suggest the team has the potential to climb back to the top, as they are only 3 points behind the second and third-placed teams, and 6 points behind league leaders Abha Club.
The team possesses a powerful attacking force that has scored 30 goals in 14 rounds, which is what Peseiro will build his plans on, while working to improve the defensive system that has conceded 13 goals, to ensure continuity in the promotion race and to achieve the dream of Al-Ula fans to be in the league of lights and fame.
Summary of Peseiro's statistics with the Saudi national team previously:
- Number of matches: 25 matches
- Wins: 10 matches
- Draws: 10 matches
- Defeats: 5 matches
