Few football fans and Pirates fans are aware that Riveiro put his wife and daughter first, separating from them to concentrate on his work for the Pirates.
Riveiro persisted and maintained his eyes on the ball even after his two assistant coaches, Michel Bellver and Sergio Almenara, abandoned him and departed Pirates.
Impressing Bucs fans who are difficult to please
The Spaniard-born coach joined the Pirates at the start of the 2022–2023 season, and in his third season as manager, he has already won over the obstinate Pirates He brought a lot of cutlery to the club.
He guided Bucs to their third consecutive MTN8 triumph last Friday, defeating Stellenbosch FC 3-1 in Durban. In total, he has won three MTN8 cups and two Nedbank Cup trophies, which is an unprecedented accomplishment in the history of the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
When Riveiro joined the team, some members of the football community were sceptical about the hitherto unknown Spaniard. His alleged inexperience was questioned by some, who even used disparaging terms to characterise him as a “plumber.” However, the 46-year-old (now 49) chose the high road and concentrated on his profession, and his achievements have now had an impact on South African football.
“The Club has employed me. We’re leaving to collaborate in order to create history and create a group of people we can all be proud of. I don’t give much thought to what other people may think of me. When he took over the Bucs position, he stated, “My work must speak for me.”
Individual selflessness
The personal sacrifices Riveiro has made for the club’s success are perhaps more impressive than the statistics. Pirates stated on their website that despite the happiness he has offered to the “Happy People,” as their fans are lovingly called, “his accomplishments have come at a significant personal cost.”
