Rui Pedro Gaivoto, at just 40 years old, has established himself as a leading force in football coaching. With an inspired journey that began as a promising player in Portugal and transitioned to coaching at age 19, Rui now brings a wealth of experience from football cultures as diverse as Portugal, China, Japan, and the UAE. A passionate student of the game, Rui’s trajectory was profoundly shaped by the tactical and psychological revolution brought about by José Mourinho in 2004, igniting in him a lifelong desire to mentor and inspire. As the Head Football Coach of Al Nasr Cultural & Sport Club in Dubai, Rui Gaivoto has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of football talent, driven by a belief that football is the most beautiful sport in the world—where passion, dedication, dreams, and hard work truly make the impossible possible.
Sports & Gulf interview with Rui Pedro Gaivoto.
What is your coaching philosophy and how have you adapted it to fit the culture and objectives of Al Nasr Cultural Sport Club?
My coaching philosophy is mainly players development centered. Players at the stage of 16/17/18 years are on the pre performance phase so it is crucial that their skills and maximised to reach their best level so a good individual development plan for each player is very important in order to thee be ready for the professional sector and where the daily performance is mandatory with high demanding levels. However I also like my teams to have a good and positive football with clear principles on the field reflecting the work during the week and the game IQ of the players with clear identity and personality in terms of football philosophy. The performance factors are always important to have in training sessions to shape the player mentally and clear and reachable goals to achieve.
Al Nasr has recently achieved strong results across various youth categories. What strategies or programs have you implemented to foster this success within the academy and junior teams?
Every coach aligned with the club strategy and playing styles and training methodologies is very important to have impact on the players development. So general guidelines and principles across all ages to build the Al Nasr playing style and identity and then adapting sub principles and contents specifically for each age. Football is only 1 game but with many different games inside. It’s a question of defining which one we want to play according with the age.
“Players at the stage of 16/17/18 years are on the pre performance phase so is crucial that their skills and maximised to reach their best level so a good individual development plan for each player is very important in order to thee be ready for the professional sector and where the daily performance is mandatory with high demanding levels.”
How do you ensure the holistic development of players at Al Nasr, balancing athletic performance with health, behavioral awareness, and social responsibility?
In Al Nasr we have all departments cantered on the player development. From the technical and tactical, to the physical, the social or psychological support, nutrition and health, the personal life style and performance, all departments engage in the same goal and we try to merge all for the players benefit.
What are the main challenges you have faced since joining Al Nasr, and how have you addressed them to drive the club’s progress on and off the pitch?
When I first came I had some approach on my mind to put into my team due my previous background and experience but quickly I understood that some factors like weather, culture and daily lifestyle could have negative interference so I readapt what I had in mind with the reality that I found and I got successful. Small example is about the training time during the heat period, short sessions but high intensity will make the players increase their natural energy to make it longer on the game day during the heat period because the game pace is slower with the heat and the humidity. Small strategies and adaptations were made in order to bring out the best of the players.
“All departments engage in the same goal and we try to merge all for the players benefit.”
Looking ahead, what are your priorities for the next phase of Al Nasr’s development, both in terms of on-field performance and the club’s broader role in the community?
This question I don’t know if I can answer directly since I’m a coach of only 1 team, but personally on field performance I want to give stability for my team to keep as much as possible the good things that are being done, enhancing the strengths and and reducing the weaknesses at the same measurement. Make the gap shorter between strengths and weaknesses. In terms of club’s broader role in the community is keeping the educational role with the players not only sportive but on their personal lives as well. Keeping them away for some bad ways, being good persons and aware about the world where they are sitting. Also showing and making them understand that the academic path is also very important because not everyone will reach professional football level, so having a back up plan with the academic way is fundamental.
Rui Pedro Gaivoto’s legacy is built on passion, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to player and team development. Under his guidance, Al Nasr Cultural & Sport Club looks set to continue fostering talent, community, and the spirit that makes football exceptional—inspiring future generations to follow their dreams with discipline, heart, and hope.
By sportsandgulf.ae 2025
