Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr announced the departure of Portuguese coach Luis Castro on Tuesday, following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Iraq's Al Shorta in their AFC Champions League Elite opener. This result added to the team's slow start in the domestic league, putting additional pressure on Ronaldo, whose contract with the club expires next summer.
The club released a statement on X, confirming Castro's departure and expressing gratitude for his efforts over the past 14 months. The statement acknowledged Castro and his staff's contributions and wished them well in their future endeavors. Castro, who was 63, is the third coach to leave Al Nassr since Ronaldo's landmark signing in early 2023, which was reportedly worth 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years.
Since Ronaldo’s arrival, the coaching staff at Al Nassr has seen significant turnover. French coach Rudi Garcia left in April, followed by a brief period under Croatian coach Dinko Jelicic before Castro's appointment in July of the previous year. Despite Ronaldo's high profile, he has yet to secure a domestic trophy with Al Nassr, with his only silverware being the Arab Club Champions Cup won last year.
Al Nassr's performance has been underwhelming, with the team finishing a distant second in the Saudi Pro League last season and drawing twice in their first three matches this season. Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia also triggered a wave of high-profile transfers, with players like Neymar and Karim Benzema joining the league.
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