Jesus comes to Ronaldo, by demand

Veteran coach Jorge Jesus, 70, from Portugal, is officially the new manager of Al Nassr. The appointment has Cristiano Ronaldo’s seal of approval – the team’s biggest star had voiced his support for the coach, and his endorsement was key. Al Nassr is determined to return to winning ways, and bringing in Jesus marks a major move both to satisfy Ronaldo and to meet the forward’s conditions for renewing his contract through 2027. Jesus has signed a one-year deal, as confirmed by Al Nassr on social media.

Jesus move and Cristiano renewal

After the dismissal of Stéfano Pioli, Jorge Jesus and Sérgio Conceição emerged as the top contenders to fill the vacant position. Jesus’s previous experience in the Saudi league tipped the scales in his favor, alongside his long and decorated career. This will be the 16th club he manages, and notably, the first time he’ll be coaching Ronaldo.

Until May, Jorge Jesus was at the helm of Al Hilal – one of Al Nassr’s fiercest rivals. With the “Blues”, he achieved a domestic treble in the 2022–23 season, winning the Saudi league, cup, and super cup. His résumé also includes silverware with Benfica, Fenerbahçe, Flamengo, and Sporting Lisbon. A proven winner, Jesus is expected to guide both Ronaldo and Al Nassr back to the top.

“I couldn’t turn down the challenge Cristiano gave me”

“I love being in Saudi Arabia – it’s the country of the future, both in football and beyond. We’re thrilled to be back. I’ve always been happy there. I’ve always won, and now I’m going to try and do it again,” the coach told A Bola from Lisbon airport.

Unsurprisingly, Jesus credited Ronaldo as the central figure in his return: “Without his invitation, I wouldn’t be going. Ronaldo has always won wherever he’s played, but not yet in Saudi Arabia. Let’s see if I can help him do that this year. We speak the same language – everything will be easier. I couldn’t say no to the challenge he put in front of me.”

He also addressed the controversy around returning to coach a rival club – something he’s done before, having managed both Benfica and Sporting in Portugal. Now, he’ll be leading Al Nassr after his stint at Al Hilal. “I was always treated well at Al Hilal – no complaints. That’s just part of being a coach. I’m back with the rival now,” he said.

And in a surprising admission, he revealed a major regret from last year: he passed up the chance to manage the Brazilian national team before Carlo Ancelotti was appointed. “Last year, I made a mistake by not accepting Brazil’s offer. I didn’t want to leave because I was fully committed to Al Hilal.”

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