Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr FC announced on Thursday that it was parting ways with its manager, Rudi Garcia, following reports of a feud between him and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In an effort to avoid running into that problem again, Al Nassr is targeting Jose Mourinho and Zinedine Zidane — two world-class managers with a proven track record with Ronaldo — as Garcia’s replacement, according to a report from CBS Sports.
Of the two rumored targets, Zidane has the more recent experience with Ronaldo. Zidane coached Ronaldo on Real Madrid from 2016 to 2018. During their time together, they won three consecutive UEFA Champions League trophies — something only two other clubs have done — and one La Liga title. In 2018, both Ronaldo and Zidane departed from the club.
For Mourinho, it’s been a decade since he last coached Ronaldo, and he wasn’t nearly as successful as Zidane as Real Madrid’s manager, only winning one La Liga title in his three seasons with the club and never advancing past the Champions League semifinal. But Mourinho undoubtedly has the respect of Ronaldo, who has repeatedly called “The Special One” the best manager he’s ever worked with. Mourinho and Ronaldo are also both Portuguese.
It’s unclear whether Mourinho or Zidane are attainable for Al Nassr given that both managers are still coveted by top clubs in Europe, but the Saudi giants definitely have the financial resources to make a serious offer and the urgency to make it happen. Al Nassr is currently second in the Saudi Pro League despite having the highest-paid player in the world in Ronaldo.
Mourinho is currently the manager of Serie A club AS Roma. Zidane hasn’t managed a club since 2021 due to a lack of interest on his end, but he’s recently hinted that he’s ready to return. Ronaldo is under contract with Al Nassr through the 2024-25 season.
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