Cristiano Ronaldo has met with his new Al-Nassr manager, Ange Postecoglou, shortly after the former Tottenham Hotspur boss was announced as the club's new head coach. Postecoglou, an Australian, replaces Jorge Jesus, who departed Al-Nassr after leading them to the Saudi Pro League title last season. Jesus has since taken the helm of the Portugal national team, which counts Ronaldo as its captain.
Postecoglou has signed a two-year contract with Al-Nassr. The club's social media accounts shared images of the manager and Ronaldo embracing earlier this week. Ronaldo had been on holiday in Mallorca with his family following Portugal's elimination from the World Cup on July 6. He was present at Al-Nassr's friendly match against Almeria.
Ronaldo is expected to play a significant role in Al-Nassr's defense of their league title. However, reports from Saudi Arabia indicate that the club is experiencing financial challenges that have led to a halt in transfers and delayed salary payments for some players. Several first-team members reportedly received their June salaries in installments. Club officials are reportedly working to address these outstanding payments, but specific details regarding the number of affected players, the total amounts owed, and the timeline for settlement remain unclear, leaving the long-term financial health of the club uncertain.
Postecoglou was chosen for the Al-Nassr position over other candidates, including current Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, due to his history of success. In his previous role, he ended Tottenham Hotspur's trophy drought by winning the Europa League. Prior to that, he secured five trophies with Celtic in Scotland, including a treble.