Exciting news has emerged as APR FC, the prestigious club representing Rwanda’s Armed Forces, enters negotiations with two accomplished coaches—Miguel Cardoso and Nabil Maaloul. The club seeks to appoint one of them to replace Darko Novic, who parted ways with the team prior to the conclusion of the last football season.
Discover the Profiles of These Coaches:
Miguel Cardoso
José Miguel Azevedo Cardoso, born on May 28, 1972, in Trofa, Portugal, has built an impressive coaching resume. In 1995, he pursued studies in exercise science and sports management, specializing in football. He later earned a Master’s degree in sports science from the University of Porto in 1998.
Cardoso’s coaching journey began in 1996 with FC Porto’s under-10 squad. By 1999, he advanced to manage strength and conditioning for Porto’s second team, before taking charge of their under-15 team in 2003. His expertise led him to C.F. Os Belenenses in 2004, where he focused on player conditioning for their senior team.
In 2006, Cardoso joined SC Braga, managing fitness programs for players, and later moved to Académica de Coimbra in 2007 as an assistant coach. In 2013, he transitioned to Ukraine’s renowned Shakhtar Donetsk, working with their under-21 team and coordinating youth development programs.
During the 2016/2017 season, Cardoso became assistant coach for Shakhtar Donetsk’s senior team, partnering with notable coach Paulo Fonseca, who has since led top clubs such as Roma and AC Milan and currently manages Lyon.
Cardoso’s leadership flourished after leaving Shakhtar in 2017 to coach Rio Ave in Portugal, where he achieved commendable success. His career trajectory took him to Nantes in France in 2018, replacing Claudio Ranieri, but a series of poor performances saw him depart after only 8 games. Subsequent stints at Celta Vigo and AEK Athens ended similarly.
Returning to Rio Ave briefly, Cardoso later joined Espérance de Tunis in Tunisia in 2021, though his tenure was short-lived. He currently leads South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, but rumors suggest his position is under threat following the team’s loss in the CAF Champions League final to Pyramids FC.
Cardoso’s career achievements include two league titles—one with Espérance de Tunis and another with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Nabil Maaloul
Nabil Maaloul, born on December 25 in Tunis, Tunisia, transitioned from a distinguished playing career to a celebrated coaching journey. A former player for Espérance de Tunis, Al-Ahli Saudi FC, and Club Africain, Maaloul also represented Tunisia’s national team from 1982 to 1994, amassing 74 caps and scoring 11 goals.
Upon retiring, Maaloul embarked on a coaching career beginning in 1997 at Olympique du Kef in Tunisia. In 2002, he took on the role of assistant coach for Tunisia’s national team, contributing to their 2004 Africa Cup of Nations victory while also leading Tunisia’s under-23 squad.
Maaloul progressed to managing Club Africain before coaching CA Bizertin. A return to assistant coaching for Tunisia’s national team in 2006 preceded his transformative tenure at Espérance de Tunis beginning in 2010. In 2011, Maaloul guided the team to three championships: the Tunisian league, domestic cup, and CAF Champions League.
His coaching expanded internationally as he helmed Cape Verde’s national team and later defeated Tunisia in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. Roles with clubs such as El Jaish and Kuwait’s national team followed. In 2017/2018, Maaloul returned to coach Tunisia, helping them qualify for the 2018 World Cup after a 12-year absence. Although Tunisia exited at the group stage, Maaloul remains a significant figure in the nation’s football history.
Maaloul then coached teams including Al-Duhail SC in Qatar, Syria’s national team—the first Tunisian to do so—and Kuwait SC, where he won both the league and cup titles in 2021. A brief return to Espérance de Tunis in 2022 led to his eventual move back to Kuwait SC, before parting ways in 2024. Currently, Maaloul is without a team.
Nabil Maaloul is among the leading names reportedly considered for the head coach position at APR FC.