Postecoglou takes Al-Nassr job to manage Ronaldo after Tottenham sacking

Ange Postecoglou has been appointed manager of Saudi Pro League champions Al-Nassr on a two-year contract, the club confirmed, reuniting the 60-year-old Australian with Cristiano Ronaldo and a squad that also includes Sadio Mane, Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman.

Postecoglou takes over from Jorge Jesus, who left Al-Nassr immediately after guiding the club to the Saudi Pro League title. The appointment ends Postecoglou’s spell out of management following his sacking by Nottingham Forest last season after just a handful of games in charge, a period during which he had been working as a pundit for ITV at the 2026 World Cup.

Al-Nassr marked the announcement with a quote Postecoglou made upon joining Forest last October: “At all my previous clubs, it ends the same. With me and a trophy.” The line carries obvious irony given his Forest exit, but his overall record in management lends it some credibility.

His most recent trophy came at Tottenham, where he led Spurs to their first piece of silverware in years by winning the 2025 Europa League, beating Manchester United in the final in Bilbao. That triumph was not enough to save his job, however, with a 17th-place Premier League finish proving fatal to his tenure at the club.

Before Spurs, Postecoglou built a formidable record at Celtic, winning a league and cup double in 2021/22 and following it with a treble the following season. He also spent four years as Australia national team manager, taking the Socceroos to the 2014 World Cup and winning the Asian Cup in 2015.

With Ronaldo currently sitting on 976 career goals — the Portugal forward scored a penalty to help his country past Croatia and into the World Cup last 16 — Postecoglou could be in the dugout when his new striker reaches the landmark 1,000-goal milestone.

Postecoglou’s first match in charge is scheduled for 16 August, when Al-Nassr face Diriyah in the King of Cup Champions Clash.