- Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract with Al-Nassr was winding down, and there were rumors he was going to join a new club ahead of the Club World Cup.
- That didn’t happen, but Ronaldo is reportedly close to a contract extension with Al-Nassr to stay in the Saudi Pro League.
- However, Al-Nassr has to find a new manager as Stefano Pioli left the club on June 25.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in December 2022, and has yet to win the Saudi Pro League with the club. He was rumored to be joining a team in time for the Club World Cup.
That didn’t come to fruition, but it is reported that Ronaldo will extend his time with the team. Al-Nassr now needs to find a new coach as Stefano Pioli has left the club.
Ronaldo Staying For At Least One More Season, If Not Two, in Saudi Arabia
Fabrizio Romano broke the news on Wednesday, June 25:
Cristiano Ronaldo next team odds were released about a month ago, and it seemed like there was going to be a split between the Portuguese superstar and Al-Nassr. Their bitter rivals, Al-Hilal, were favored to land Ronaldo, especially as they were headed to the Club World Cup. Ronaldo claims that teams reached out to him before the tournament started, but he rejected their offers. No teams have confirmed as much. Meanwhile, Club World Cup odds still include Al-Hilal, who need to win their final group match against Pachuca to have a chance of going through, along with other tiebreakers.
Ronaldo posted that “this chapter is over” on May 26. However, the Saudi Pro League never wanted to lose their biggest star, and Al-Nassr has offered Ronaldo a new deal. The final detail to work out is the length, as it will be either one or two years. No financial terms have been revealed, but surely, a raise will be in order for Ronaldo, who was making a staggering $204 million per season in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Nassr will now look to shift their focus to a new manager, and Ronaldo will likely be consulted in the search.
Who Will Be Al-Nassr’s Next Manager?
Stefano Pioli has left Al-Nassr, and Romano reports that he’ll rejoin Fiorentina in Italy. Pioli played 154 games for Fiorentina between 1989 and 1995. He also managed the club from 2017 to 2019.
There were rumors that Ronaldo wanted Pioli gone after failing to win a trophy. But he posted a message translating to, “Thanks for everything”.
Ronaldo will absolutely be consulted about the new manager. The rumor mill claims that it might be Jorge Jesus, who managed Al-Hilal in 2018-19, and again from 2023 until May 2025, when he left the club.
This would be a great signing for Al-Nassr. Jesus is very familiar with the Saudi Pro League. More importantly, he has won there. Jesus won the SPL with Al-Hilal in 2023-24, beating Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr by 14 points. They’re Portuguese compatriots, so you would believe they’re familiar with each other.
Ronaldo has yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr, winning the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, but that doesn’t constitute as a big win for someone of Ronaldo’s stature. He recently won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, scoring in the 61st minute. With Ronaldo on the bench, Portugal then beat rival Spain to win the competition 2-2 (5-3 on penalties).
He wants to win and even at the age of 40, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner still has a lot left in the tank. He has scored 99 goals in 111 appearances with the club, and Ronaldo would love to add another piece of silverware to his resume, or more!
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