Latest reports suggest Ronaldo’s role inside the club could become even more influential moving forward. Cristiano Ronaldo finally delivered the moment Al-Nassr had been waiting for since his arrival in Saudi Arabia. After years of pressure, near misses, and growing scrutiny surrounding the project in Riyadh, the Portuguese superstar lifted the Saudi Pro League trophy following a dramatic title-winning campaign that restored the club to the top of Saudi soccer.
The celebrations after the decisive 4-1 victory over Damac were emotional across the club, but behind the scenes, attention quickly shifted toward what comes next. With Jorge Jesus stepping away after fulfilling his mission and Al-Nassr entering a new phase, major decisions are expected to shape the project’s future.
Jesus confirmed his departure immediately after securing the championship, ending a successful but relatively short spell in charge of the Riyadh side. The veteran Portuguese coach arrived with one clear objective: to help Ronaldo and Al-Nassr end their long wait for the league title.
Jorge Jesus leaves after completing his mission
Al-Nassr finished the campaign with 86 points, narrowly ahead of fierce rival Al-Hilal, to secure the club’s first Saudi league championship since 2019. The title also gave Ronaldo his first major domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia after several frustrating seasons.
Following the final match, Jesus openly admitted that the mission had always been temporary. “I accepted this challenge only because I told Cristiano: ‘I will help you become champion, we will win the trophy, and then I will leave.’ That’s it. For me, the mission is complete,” the Portuguese coach said after the Damac victory.
The statement immediately sparked speculation about the future direction of Al-Nassr. Although the coach announced his intention to leave, the club hierarchy reportedly moved quickly to try to change his mind.
Club president Abdullah Al-Majed publicly confirmed that Al-Nassr wanted Jesus to remain in charge. “We will do everything possible to keep Jesus because he has made a significant difference,” Al-Majed explained in a televised interview.
Ronaldo tried to convince Jesus to stay
Reports from Saudi media later revealed that Ronaldo himself became heavily involved in efforts to keep the coach at the club. According to the Arabic electronic platform winwin, the Portuguese forward already knew before the final game that Jesus intended to leave once the title was secured.
Ronaldo reportedly asked Jesus to stay for another season in order to preserve stability inside the project, but the coach refused despite receiving a massive renewal offer from Al-Nassr.
The two figures are said to have held a private meeting before the final match against Damac. During that conversation, Jesus reportedly reminded Ronaldo of the promise he made when taking over the team.
“Jesus held a meeting with Ronaldo before the last match against Damac, and told him that he must lead the team to victory in the match and win the title as he promised him, and then he will leave,” winwin reported.
The same report added that Jesus informed Ronaldo he would never coach another Saudi club in the future and believed it was the correct moment to walk away after achieving success with Al-Nassr and previously leaving a mark with Al-Hilal as well.
Ronaldo’s new role revealed
The biggest revelation, however, arrived shortly afterward as the latest reports suggest Ronaldo’s role inside the club could become even more influential moving forward.
According to 365Scores Arabic, Ronaldo will be involved in helping Al-Nassr choose the club’s next head coach. The report also claimed that the Portuguese superstar is considering several options, including a world-class Portuguese manager capable of continuing the project’s momentum.
This move exemplifies how central the 41-year-old has become to the club’s sporting direction since arriving in Saudi Arabia. His influence already transformed Al-Nassr commercially and globally, but his voice now appears increasingly important in strategic soccer decisions as well.