The Saudi Pro League has unveiled another honor for Cristiano Ronaldo following his performances with Al Nassr. Al Nassr achieved their long-awaited goal of winning the Saudi Pro League title this season. It was also Cristiano Ronaldo‘s first trophy since joining the club in January 2023, earning him several individual accolades along the way. The latest was announced Thursday through the league’s official social media accounts. “After 34 match-weeks played, the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League Fantasy team of the season is here,” the post on X reads alongside an image featuring the 11 selected players. Cristiano Ronaldo was, unsurprisingly, included as one of the forwards in the lineup, alongside Al Ahli’s Ivan Toney and Al-Taawoun’s Roger Martinez. The Team of the Season also features one of CR7’s teammates during Al Nassr‘s title-winning campaign: Joao Felix. The other players recognized by the Saudi Pro League were Al-Ettifaq goalkeeper Marek Rodak, Al Qadsiah’s Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Julian Quinones, Al Ittihad’s Danilo Pereira, Al Hilal’s Theo Hernandez and Ruben Neves, and Al-Shabab’s Yannick Carrasco. After 34 match-weeks played, the 2025/26 @SPLfantasy team of the season is here 👑 pic.twitter.com/S3xE0AZJbr— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) June 4, 2026 What is Saudi Pro League Fantasy? Saudi Pro League Fantasy is a virtual manager game that allows fans to build their ideal team from the league and compete against other users on a weekly basis. Each participant receives an initial budget to select players, with certain restrictions, including a maximum of three players from the same club. Based on the performances of those selected players in each match, users earn points. The combined total from the 11 selected players determines the winner of each Matchday and, ultimately, the overall season champion. Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the highest-scoring players of the season in Saudi Pro League Fantasy with 296 points, earning him a place in the Team of the Season. The top performer was Julian Quinones with 356 points, followed by Ivan Toney with 319 and Joao Felix with 311. Other honors received by Ronaldo this season The Saudi Pro League Fantasy Team of the Season selection adds to a lengthy list of honors Cristiano Ronaldo received during Al Nassr’s title-winning 2025-26 campaign. The Portuguese forward was also named among the five finalists for the Player of the Season award, which was voted on by team captains, coaches, media representatives and fans. However, Joao Felix claimed the top honor. Ronaldo, meanwhile, was voted Fans’ Player of the Season.
Barcelona appear determined to pursue a signing in attack after the departure of Robert Lewandowski. While Julián Álvarez seems to be the priority, Darwin Núñez has reportedly emerged as a clear low-cost option coming from Al Hilal. Following the departure of Robert Lewandowski, FC Barcelona appear determined to sign a world-class center forward. In response, Julián Álvarez has reportedly emerged as the absolute priority. However, Atlético Madrid do not seem very open to letting him leave, complicating everything. Because of this, Darwin Núñez has reportedly emerged as a clear option after falling out of the sporting project at Al Hilal. According to Gabriel Sans, via Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana held talks with Al Hilal over the signing of João Cancelo. In the middle of negotiations, the possibility of signing Darwin Núñez emerged, as he does not fit into the sporting project and is seeking to leave the Saudi Pro League. Without knowing whether it was an offer from the Saudi club or interest from the Spanish side, his potential arrival on a free transfer or at a low cost is gaining momentum. Despite widespread reports of an agreement between Darwin Núñez and Al Hilal over a contract termination, this is not official yet, meaning it does not appear to be a done deal. However, a potential agreement with FC Barcelona could help facilitate a contract termination if the Uruguayan agrees to waive part of his salary. Nonetheless, the Blaugranas have not made a formal offer, meaning the Uruguayan still has nothing guaranteed. In case Darwin Núñez’ arrival is completed, it would not prevent the signing of a player such as Julián Álvarez or João Pedro. Having failed to truly shine for several years, the Uruguayan striker would arrive as a profile similar to Ferran Torres: A backup striker or left winger. Because of this, his possible arrival would imply the departure of the Spaniard, something that appears unlikely given that he is considered one of the most important figures in the dressing room. Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal celebrates after scoring Darwin Núñez may be a risky fit for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona Barcelona need a world-class goalscoring striker to boost their competitiveness. While Ferran Torres remains in the squad, he has shown that his inconsistency would affect his ability to become an undisputed starter. Because of this, the signings of Julián Álvarez or João Pedro would provide reliable goalscoring, the complete opposite of Darwin Núñez, who failed to even shine as a starter in the Saudi Pro League, losing his place to Marcos Leonardo. Unlike his first season at the Reds or his spell at S.L. Benfica, the Uruguayan striker has not been effective in front of goal, struggling to convert clear chances. While his pace and high pressing remain key attributes, Anthony Gordon already fits that profile. Therefore, if the Blaugrana sign him, it would be a gamble aimed at recovering his peak that has not been seen in years, something that would not rule out the arrival of another world-class striker.
With reports linking Pep Guardiola as the next coach, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr announced the departure of Jorge Jesus. No sooner had Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated Al Nassr‘s 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title than the club was dealt a significant blow, with Jorge Jesus confirming his departure. While reports have surfaced linking Pep Guardiola as a potential successor, Al Nassr has now officially announced the end of Jesus‘s one-year tenure. Jesus’s arrival had been closely tied to Ronaldo’s own influence at the club following the forward’s contract renewal in June, with the Portuguese coach later revealing that Ronaldo’s personal involvement was a key reason he took the job. Despite the success they achieved together, Jesus’s contract ran its course and his decision to move on appears to have been made well in advance of the final announcement. The possibility of a one-year extension had been on the table, at least from Al Nassr’s perspective. Club president Abdullah Al-Majed acknowledged “ongoing attempts to convince Jorge Jesus to stay,” and a salary increase was reportedly offered as part of the renewal pitch, but no agreement was ultimately reached. Al Nassr‘s official account marked the occasion with a video tribute. “He arrived taking on the challenge… and he leaves us as a champion,” the club wrote, paying tribute to the SPL triumph that bookended his single season in charge. What a journey. What a chapter. 🏆💛Obrigado, Mister 🙏🏼#ChampionStateOfMind pic.twitter.com/kVKSnRXkRX— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) May 28, 2026 “Thank you, Jesus, for everything you have given to your club, Al Nassr… And you will always remain a lover of, and beloved by, the Nassrawi fans,” the message concluded. Jesus, who has been linked with clubs including Fenerbahce, Brazilian sides and even the Portugal national team, has since indicated he will spend time in Rio de Janeiro before deciding his next move. Across his 49 games in charge, Jesus compiled a record of 40 wins, two draws and seven defeats, averaging an impressive 2.49 points per game, establishing himself as one of the most successful coaches in the club’s history and breaking the 7-year trophy drought. Ronaldo was the driving force of that era, contributing 30 goals and five assists in 37 appearances to finish as the top scorer under the Portuguese manager. Is a Pep Guardiola arrival at Al Nassr feasible? As speculation about Jesus’s replacement gathered pace, Pep Guardiola quickly emerged as one of the headline names, having already confirmed his departure from Manchester City. Reports from Saudi newspaper Al-Youm went as far as claiming that Al Nassr had offered Guardiola an annual salary of $150 million, which would make him the highest-paid manager in the history of the sport. Speaking to Saudi media outlet Okaz, Guardiola‘s representative Josep Maria Orobitg confirmed that contact had been made but stopped well short of describing it as a serious offer: “There was a contact a month and a half ago, just a contact, without any commitment or written offer. There was also a contact with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation about 15 days ago, but there will be no further contacts for the moment.“ When pressed specifically on the reported salary figures, the representative was dismissive. “The amount mentioned is not true,” he said, while not denying that conversations had taken place. “At the moment, neither Al Nassr nor the Saudi Arabian Football Federation have great opportunities to sign Guardiola. Pep will not sign for any club or team right now. There are already a large number of interested clubs and teams, but all of this is being discussed for the future,” he added. Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City. With Ronaldo’s Al Nassr contract running through June 2027, only one season remains before a potential retirement announcement at age 42. Planning for the 2026-27 campaign is already underway, but landing Guardiola as the club’s next head coach appears to be a far more co
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-Nas
Jorge Jesus looks set to remain Cristiano Ronaldo’s head coach after Al Nassr and the Portuguese manager reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a contract extension. Cristiano Ronaldo has finally snapped his trophy drought in Saudi Arabia, capturing the Saudi Pro League title with Al Nassr following a resounding 4-1 victory over Damac on the season’s final matchday. Yet, just as the club achieved its ultimate domestic objective, Jorge Jesus shocked the fan base by announcing his departure—a situation that has now taken an unexpected U-turn. Heading into the season finale against Damac, the Portuguese tactician made it clear that his primary mission was helping Ronaldo claim silverware in the Gulf. After a painful defeat in the AFC Champions League Two final against Japan’s Gamba Osaka, Jesus and Ronaldo found immediate redemption by locked down the league championship. Following the trophy celebrations, the 71-year-old manager initially confirmed in an interview with Canal GOAT that the match against Damac would be his last at the helm of Al Nassr. However, global transfer news insider Ekrem Konur completely shifted the narrative, providing fresh hope to the Riyadh-based fans by revealing that Jesus is now likely to stay. The insider reported that Al Nassr and Jorge Jesus have reportedly reached a verbal agreement to extend the manager’s contract for an additional year. The breakthrough follows official comments from club president Abdullah Al-Majed, who pushed for Jesus to stay and had recently confirmed that the front office was actively launching ongoing attempts to convince Jesus to stay. Jorge Jesus kisses Cristiano Ronaldo on the cheek. (Getty Images) Portugal National Team on the horizon The sudden contract drama comes amid intense speculation linking Jorge Jesus to the Portugal National Team job. While Roberto Martinez currently serves as Portugal’s head coach, the Spanish manager is widely expected to step down following the conclusion of the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Addressing the rumors upon his arrival at a Portuguese airport, Jesus admitted to reporters that turning down his country’s top job would be a monumental challenge. “Who can say no to the national team? I have previously declined one of the best teams in the world, and I cannot say no to another,” Jesus stated, referencing his past decision to reject an official approach from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to manage the Seleção. Nevertheless, Jesus was quick to downplay any immediate distraction, emphasizing that Portugal needs a calm environment just days away from the tournament kicking off in North America. “I am not considering this possibility now. The World Cup is approaching, Portugal needs calm, the coach needs calm, and I do not want to get involved in such chaos,” he concluded.
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