Egypt unveil former Benfica boss Rui Vitória as new head coach

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) have announced Portuguese tactician Rui Vitória as the new head coach of the Pharaohs national team.

The 52 year old coach signed a four year deal with the club and is expected to begin the rebuilding process to get the seven time African champions back on the World Cup stage after missing the 2022 edition set to take place in Qatar after falling against Senegal.

“Rui Vitória, coach of the Egyptian national team. The Egyptian Football Association has reached a final agreement with Portugal's Vitoria to lead the Egyptian national team for the next 4 years,” the federation posted.

The former Benfica man becomes the third coach to be appointed by Egypt this year and takes over from Ehab Galal who was sacked last month after just overseeing three games, which included a defeat to Ethiopia at the start of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Galal had replaced another Portuguese tactician in Carlos Quieroz who was unable to steer the team to the 2022 Qatar World Cup and lost the Africa Cup of Nations title also to Senegal.

Vitoria brings a wealth of experience with him and titles to show for it. In addition to stints in charge of several Portuguese clubs, including Pacos Ferreira, Vitoria Guimaraes and Benfica, where he won back-to-back league titles in 2016 and 2017, Rui Vitoria was also a league winner in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr and had a brief coaching spell at Spartak Moscow.

Atletico Madrid's João Felix, Manchester City's Ruben Dias and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Nelson Semedo all played their first game with Benfica's senior team when Vitória was in charge of the team. 

The Portuguese coach will start his mission with the Pharaohs in September when Egypt plays two matches against Malawi in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.