Orlando Pirates have already won two major trophies this season. Now their coach wants more. Abdeslam Ouaddou is asking his players to do something no team has ever done in South African football history. He wants them to win every single domestic trophy available.
The team from Soweto will take their next step this Saturday. They face Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the Nedbank Cup at Moses Mabhida Stadium. The match kicks off at 3pm. Pirates are chasing their third Nedbank Cup trophy in just four years.
Last season still hurts for the Buccaneers. They lost the Nedbank Cup final to their biggest rivals Kaizer Chiefs. The score was 1-0. But this year feels different. The team is playing with confidence and winning matches. They just beat AmaZulu 2-0 in the league. Everything seems to be going their way.
Pirates have already secured two trophies this season. They won both the MTN8 and the Carling Knockout. Now fans are starting to dream bigger. Could this team actually win everything?
Ouaddou knows Saturday’s match won’t be easy, even though his team is stronger on paper. TTM plays in the ABC Motsepe League, which is a lower division. But the coach refuses to take any opponent lightly.
“It will be an important game for us,” Ouaddou said before the match. “We do not underestimate any team in this competition. We are taking it very seriously.”
The Moroccan coach made it clear his team has done their homework. They know everything about their opponents. He promised to field his strongest starting lineup for the cup match.
Pirates are also doing well in the league. They sit at the top of the Premiership table. They have a three-point lead over Mamelodi Sundowns. The team has one of the most talented squads in South African football right now. They are also out of the CAF Champions League, which means they can focus fully on domestic competitions.
This simple fact makes the clean sweep possible. No South African team has ever won all domestic trophies in one season. Ouaddou wants his players to chase this historic achievement. He sees it as a chance to become legends.
“It is a huge challenge,” the coach explained. “Nobody has done it. This is the sort of motivation to try and go for everything. You have to write the names of the players into the history of the club.”
Ouaddou believes his players need to be ambitious. Football careers are short, he reminds them. Time moves quickly. Players must make the most of their opportunities while they can. He wants them to leave a lasting legacy at Orlando Pirates.
But the coach also knows that talent alone doesn’t guarantee success. He shared a personal story to make his point. In 2004, he played in the Africa Cup of Nations final. His Morocco team was the strongest in Africa. Everyone saw them as favorites. But they didn’t win the trophy.
“That is why I always tell the players to use the time they have to try to leave the club as legends,” Ouaddou said.
The challenge is clear. Pirates have the squad, the form, and the focus. They have already proven they can win trophies this season. Now they need to keep the momentum going. Saturday’s match against TTM is the next test. It won’t be easy to maintain concentration in every match. But if they can stay focused and keep winning, history awaits.
The path to glory starts this weekend at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Pirates fans will be watching closely. Can their team achieve what no other has done before?
