Al-Nassr announce departure of coach Castro
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al Nassr announced on Tuesday that Portuguese coach Luis Castro has departed, following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Iraq’s Al Shorta in their opening AFC Champions League Elite game.
This latest result compounded a sluggish start to the domestic season, with Ronaldo’s current contract set to expire next summer. The Portuguese superstar has yet to win a Saudi domestic trophy since his high-profile arrival in early 2023.
“Al Nassr can announce that head coach Luis Castro has left the club,” the club’s statement posted on X read, adding thanks to Castro and his staff for their dedication over the past 14 months.
The 63-year-old Castro becomes the third coach to leave Al Nassr since Ronaldo’s arrival. His predecessors, Frenchman Rudi Garcia and Croatian coach Dinko Jelicic, both left soon after Ronaldo joined. Castro had taken over in July of last year.
Despite Ronaldo’s lucrative contract, reportedly worth 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years, and the wave of high-profile signings in the Saudi Pro League, including Neymar and Karim Benzema, Al Nassr has struggled to secure major domestic success. The club has drawn two of its three matches this season, and Ronaldo’s only silverware to date remains last year’s Arab Club Champions Cup.
(Source: AFP)
