Cristian "Kily" Gonzalez's move to Inter Miami has been agreed for weeks, but a pending work permit is keeping him from officially taking over as head coach. Inter Miami fans hoping to see Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez patrolling the sideline have had to wait longer than expected, even though the Argentine coach’s arrival was announced weeks ago. The delay has left Guillermo Hoyos in charge of the team well beyond what many anticipated when the coaching change was first revealed. The holdup comes down to paperwork: Gonzalez has yet to receive the work permit required to legally coach in the United States, and Inter Miami has stated he will only officially assume his duties once that documentation clears. Until then, the move remains agreed upon but not yet formalized on the touchline. Inter Miami confirmed the agreement with Gonzalez in an official statement in late August, announcing that Hoyos would provisionally continue leading the first team until the new coach and his staff can arrive. With no fixed date yet for when Gonzalez’s visa process will conclude, Hoyos remains the man in charge for Inter Miami’s upcoming matches, continuing to oversee a squad dealing with its own injury concerns while the club awaits the paperwork that will finally hand the reins to its intended long-term coach. Kily González celebrates a goal while coaching Union de Santa Fe. (Getty Images) What’s next for Guillermo Hoyos? Hoyos, 63, has left his own future at the club open for now. Speaking to reporters after a training session, he addressed Gonzalez’s looming arrival directly: “When Kily arrives we will surely get together and talk,” he said, adding that he remains available to the club and the incoming coaching staff to help during the transition period. Inter Miami have not clarified what role, if any, Hoyos will have once Gonzalez takes over, but a club source told AFP that he continues to be held in “high regard” within the organization. Inter Miami’s current season While the coaching situation remains unresolved, Inter Miami’s on-field results have kept the club firmly in contention. The defending MLS Cup champions sit second in the Eastern Conference and third in the overall Supporters’ Shield standings, with a record of 12 wins, four losses and seven draws for 43 points. The attack has been prolific, with Lionel Messi’s 18 league goals leading an offense that has produced 58 goals through the season. The cup competitions have told a different story. Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup run ended in March at the Round of 16 stage after consecutive 1-1 draws, and the Leagues Cup campaign also finished early, with just one win in three league-phase matches. The one remaining chance at silverware outside MLS comes on September 16, when Inter Miami host Liga MX champion Cruz Azul at Nu Stadium in the Campeones Cup final.
The Portugal captain’s latest goal against Abha carried far greater significance than the three points, as it kept alive a remarkable sequence that has now placed the Riyadh club alongside one of the most famous teams in the sport’s history. Cristiano Ronaldo has once again put his name at the center of an extraordinary moment in soccer history, helping Al-Nassr achieve something that had remained out of reach for generations. The Portugal captain’s latest goal against Abha carried far greater significance than the three points, as it kept alive a remarkable sequence that has now placed the Riyadh club alongside one of the most famous teams in the sport’s history. Al-Nassr entered Wednesday’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Abha looking to recover from its first defeat of the season. Instead, Ronaldo’s contribution provided another chapter in the club’s remarkable rise, with his 22nd-minute header from Angelo’s corner giving the hosts a 1-0 victory at Al-Awwal Park. The match was Al-Nassr’s sixth Saudi Pro League fixture of the season, with Ange Postecoglou’s side determined to respond after the 2-1 loss against Al-Ittihad. Abha, meanwhile, arrived at the bottom of the table after collecting only one point from its opening five matches. Ronaldo made the difference in Riyadh, rising to meet Angelo’s delivery and sending his header into the net in the 22nd minute. The Portuguese superstar continues to produce decisive moments at the age of 41, while Al-Nassr continues to establish itself as one of the most consistent attacking teams in Saudi soccer. This time, however, Ronaldo’s finish also helped the club move into a very special place in the history of the game. Ronaldo scores his 979th goal. 21 goals to 1000 goals pic.twitter.com/t94Tqkjv5R— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) September 9, 2026 Al-Nassr matches 87-year-old soccer record The significance of Ronaldo’s goal was revealed after the final whistle. According to Thmanyah, the Saudi league’s broadcasting network, Al-Nassr has now scored in 93 consecutive Saudi Pro League matches, matching the historic mark previously achieved by River Plate. River Plate established its legendary scoring run between 1936 and 1939, finding the net in 93 consecutive domestic league matches. That record stood for roughly 87 years before Al-Nassr finally drew level with it. The Saudi club’s remarkable sequence began in December 2023 and has survived changes in opponents, squad personnel and coaching approaches. Ronaldo has been one of the central figures in Al-Nassr’s attacking identity during this period, contributing consistently since joining the club in late 2022. CountryClubMatchesSaudi ArabiaAl-Nassr93ArgentinaRiver Plate93PortugalBenfica93Saudi ArabiaAl-Hilal88GermanyBayern Munchen87SerbiaCrvena Zvezda69GreecePAOK69SpainBarcelona63ScotlandCeltic61EnglandArsenal55 There is some conflicting information surrounding the exact starting point of the streak in the supplied reports, with one source placing the beginning after a December 2023 meeting with Al-Riyadh and another referencing the Al-Hilal defeat. However, the key milestone remains the same: Al-Nassr has now scored in 93 successive Saudi Pro League matches, equaling the historic benchmark. One more goal could make Al-Nassr stand alone Al-Nassr now has an opportunity to move beyond the mark when it returns to league action against Al-Khaleej. The club is scheduled to travel to Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam next Saturday for Matchday 7. A goal in that fixture would give Al-Nassr 94 consecutive Saudi Pro League matches with at least one goal, allowing it to establish a new league scoring streak record outright. Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al Nassr FC celebrates scoring The achievement is particularly impressive because the run has continued across multiple seasons and different versions of the squad. Players such as Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Angelo have all played their part in maintaining the club’s attacking consistency.
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