ABHA — Saudi Pro League club Damac announced on Wednesday the appointment of Portuguese coach Nuno Almeida as the team's new head coach, replacing Romanian Cosmin Contra. The move marks Almeida's return to Arab football. Damac welcomed Almeida with a video on their social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), showcasing his extensive coaching experience with clubs such as Sporting Lisbon, Panathinaikos, Zamalek, and Qatari sides Al-Sadd and Al-Shamal. "Welcome, Nuno Almeida, to the Knights of the South," the club wrote, signaling optimism for the new chapter. Almeida has a strong background in Arab football, particularly in Egypt and Qatar. He previously served as assistant to Jesualdo Ferreira at clubs including Sporting Lisbon, Braga, Zamalek, and Al-Sadd. During his time with Zamalek, he helped secure the Egyptian Premier League and Egypt Cup titles in the 2014-2015 season. In Qatar, he contributed to Al-Sadd's domination of domestic competitions between 2016 and 2019. Almeida also had a stint as head coach in Egypt with Pharco FC during the 2021-2022 season, marking his first role as a head coach. Damac currently sits in 10th place in the Saudi Pro League standings. The club hopes Almeida's wealth of experience will help turn their season around and improve their performance in one of the region's most competitive leagues.
