Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi club Al Nassr revealed the exit of Portuguese coach Luis Castro on Tuesday, following a lackluster start to their AFC Champions League Elite campaign, which included a disappointing draw on Monday. The 1-1 tie against Iraq's Al Shorta in the Asian competition has coincided with a sluggish beginning to the domestic season, with Ronaldo's contract, set to expire next summer, at the age of 39.
"Al Nassr can confirm that head coach Luis Castro has parted ways with the club," stated a message posted on X. "Everyone at Al Nassr extends their gratitude to Luis and his team for their committed efforts over the past 14 months, and wishes them all the best in their future endeavors."
Castro, 63, marks the third coach to leave Al Nassr since Ronaldo's landmark signing in early 2023, a deal reportedly worth 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years. Frenchman Rudi Garcia departed in April, followed by a short tenure by Croatian coach Dinko Jelicic before Castro was appointed in July last year.
Despite his illustrious career, Ronaldo has yet to secure a Saudi trophy with the Riyadh club, his only accolade thus far being last year's Arab Club Champions Cup. Al Nassr, who finished a distant second in the previous Saudi Pro League season, have drawn twice in their first three matches of the new campaign. Ronaldo's arrival in 2023 sparked a wave of high-profile signings by Saudi clubs, with Neymar and Karim Benzema among those choosing the oil-rich, conservative kingdom.
