Ronaldo's Al Nassr part ways with coach Castro
Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi club Al Nassr announced the departure of Portuguese coach Luis Castro on Tuesday, a day after starting their AFC Champions League Elite campaign with a disappointing draw.
AlNassr can announce that Head Coach Luis Castro has left the Club.
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 17, 2024
Everyone at AlNassr would like to thank Luis and his staff for their dedicated work during the past 14 months, wishing them the best of luck for the future. pic.twitter.com/FznpvPHG0T
Monday's 1-1 stalemate with Iraq's Al Shorta in the Asian competition compounded a slow start to the domestic season with the current contract of Ronaldo, 39, due to expire next summer.
⌛️ || Full time,@AlNassrFC 1:1 #AlShorta pic.twitter.com/2LqXJVimWe
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 16, 2024
"Al Nassr can announce that head coach Luis Castro has left the club," said a statement posted on X.
"Everyone at Al Nassr would like to thank Luis and his staff for their dedicated work during the past 14 months, wishing them the best of luck for the future."
📸 𝐀𝐥𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐀𝐥𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚 📸 pic.twitter.com/UUoIMS2aEz
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 16, 2024
Castro, 63, is the third coach to depart Al Nassr since Ronaldo's groundbreaking arrival in early 2023 on a contract that was said to net him €400 million over two-and-a-half years.
Frenchman Rudi Garcia quickly left that April, followed by a brief stint by Croatian coach Dinko Jelicic before Castro was appointed in July last year.
The highly decorated Ronaldo is yet to win a Saudi trophy with the Riyadh club, with his sole silverware so far being last year's Arab Club Champions Cup.
Al Nassr, who finished a distant second in the last Saudi Pro League season, have drawn twice in three matches at the start of the new campaign.
Ronaldo's arrival heralded a rash of high-profile signings by Saudi clubs last year, with Neymar and Karim Benzema among those opting for the oil-rich, conservative kingdom.
Advertisement