Fernando da Cruz arrived in South Africa and joined Kaizer Chiefs in Naturena on Jul 02, 2026, beginning work as the club’s newly appointed Head Coach. The move puts a new name at the top of the dugout while the squad was already two weeks into pre-season training for the 2026/27 season.
Kaizer Motaung Jr Welcomes Da Cruz
Kaizer Motaung Jr welcomed him to Kaizer Chiefs as the club prepared for the next campaign. “We would like to welcome Coach Da Cruz to Kaizer Chiefs,” he said, adding that his arrival “marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the Club, and we look forward to seeing his vision take shape with the team.”
Da Cruz answered with a clear message on his return to Mzansi. “I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “The Club has always held a special place in my heart, and I’ve kept a close eye on its journey over the past two years.”
Rabat To Naturena
Before joining Kaizer Chiefs, Da Cruz spent the past two seasons as Technical Director for the Royal Moroccan Football Federation in Rabat. In that role, he oversaw the federation’s football structures and worked closely with development teams, coaches, and the senior national side, which advanced to the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup being staged in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
That background gives Kaizer Chiefs a coach arriving with federation experience rather than a fresh start in club football. It also explains why his first days at Naturena matter now: the club is already moving through pre-season, and the technical staff kept continuity while the handover from Morocco was completed.
Pre-Season Pressure At Naturena
Kaizer Chiefs said Da Cruz met with all the members of the team on arrival, so the changeover is already in motion rather than sitting on paper. The club now has a head coach in place while the squad keeps working through its two-week pre-season block, a short runway before the 2026/27 season turns from preparation into competition.
Da Cruz framed the job as a collective one. “Kaizer Chiefs is a massive institution with passionate supporters and a proud history,” he said. “My focus now is on building a strong connection with the players, instilling a winning mentality, and working together to achieve the success our fans deserve.”
He also pointed to the scale of the task ahead: “The journey ahead will demand hard work and unity, but I’m confident we will rise to the challenge, he says.” For Kaizer Chiefs, the immediate test is simple enough to state and hard enough to solve — turn a late-arriving coach and an already moving pre-season into a working rhythm before the season starts to bite.
