Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al Nassr announced the departure of Portuguese coach Luis Castro on Tuesday, a day after a frustrating 1-1 draw against Iraq’s Al Shorta in their AFC Champions League Elite opener.
The stalemate in the Asian competition added to a sluggish start in the domestic league, with Ronaldo’s current contract, due to expire next summer, hanging over the team’s performance. The 39-year-old Portuguese star has been with Al Nassr since early 2023.
“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.”
Castro, 63, is the third coach to leave Al Nassr since Ronaldo’s high-profile signing in 2023. His predecessors, Frenchman Rudi Garcia and Croatian Dinko Jelicic, both left the club in quick succession before Castro took charge in July last year.
Despite Ronaldo’s star presence and a contract reportedly worth €400 million over two and a half years, the Riyadh-based club has yet to claim a major Saudi trophy. Ronaldo’s only success with Al Nassr so far has been winning the 2022 Arab Club Champions Cup.
Al Nassr, who finished as runners-up in last season’s Saudi Pro League, have endured a difficult start to the new campaign, managing only two draws in their opening three matches.
Ronaldo’s arrival has sparked a wave of high-profile signings by Saudi clubs, with global football stars such as Neymar and Karim Benzema also joining teams in the oil-rich nation.