Cristiano Ronaldo sends message as Al Nassr part ways with manager

Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a message to outgoing Al-Nassr manager Stefano Pioli. The Riyadh-based outfit announced on Wednesday that the Italian manager has vacated his position at the club.

The Portuguese superstar shared Al-Nassr's status on X, with a thank you note. He wrote:

"Thank you for everything!"

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Pioli arrived at the Saudi club following an impressive run with AC Milan, where he won the Serie A in the 2021-22 season. The Italian took charge of Al-Nassr in September 2024, but failed to guide the club to the Saudi Pro League title.

Despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who plundered 35 goals in 41 games, the Riyadh-based club ended the campaign without silverware. Pioli managed 27 wins and nine defeats from 43 games with Al-Nassr, with his team scoring 97 goals and letting in 45.

The Italian manager remains heavily linked with a move to Fiorentina. The Saudi club, meanwhile, are yet to announce Pioli succesor, although recent reports have linked Marc Brys to the job.

The Belgian manager is currently in charge of the Cameroon national team, and has experience of managing in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr expires next month, and he is yet to sign a new deal. However, the Portuguese has recently stated that he will stay with Al-Nassr next season.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Al-Nassr so far?

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 93 goals and set up 19 more from 105 games for Al-Nassr to date. The Portuguese superstar arrived in the Middle East at the end of 2022 after cutting ties with Manchester United.

The 40-year-old won the Arab Club Emirates Cup with the Saudi club in 2023, but that remains his only trophy since arriving at the Riyadh-based team. Interestingly, Ronaldo is yet to win the league since moving to the Middle East.

Al-Nassr finished third in the Saudi Pro League in the 2024-25 campaign, and will not participate in the AFC Champions League Elite next season. Ronaldo's future, as such, was subject to speculation in the past few weeks.

The 40-year-old was rumoured to be in talks to join one of the 32 teams participating in the FIFA Club World Cup on a short-term deal. However, the move never materialized, and the Portuguese superstar is now expected to continue his association with Al-Nassr. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner recently won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal.

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Edited by Deepungsu Pandit