"Came to Al-Nassr after clubs of Europe closed their doors" - Pundit claims no 'senior coach' wants to work with Cristiano Ronaldo anymore
Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam reckons no senior manager wants to work alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Hossam said Ronaldo exerts himself too much on any coach he works with, contrasting him with Karim Benzema.
In addition to his world-class talent, Ronaldo is renowned for being vocal on and off the pitch. The 40-year-old has never shied away from openly expressing his opinions, which supposedly led to his falling out with former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
After mutually terminating his contract with the Red Devils in November 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo left Europe to join Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League two months later. Despite playing under the likes of Rudi Garcia, Luis Castro, and Stefano Pioli, the Portugal ace is yet to win an official trophy for Al-Nassr.
Following Al-Nassr's 3-2 loss against Al-Fateh in their final game of the season, Ronaldo took to social media to post:
"This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all."
Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr is set to expire at the end of the season. Amid rumors of Ronaldo being linked with various clubs ahead of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, Mido said (via Arabic sports website Kooora):
"Ronaldo's problem is that he cancels out the personality of any coach he works with, unlike other players like Benzema. He is also a great player, but he gives the coach his due and respect, and knows his role well. I challenge any major coach to find someone who would want to work with Ronaldo or welcome leading Al-Nassr in his presence."
He added:
"Ronaldo came to Al-Nassr after European clubs closed their doors to him. Even Simone Inzaghi, if offered to coach Al-Nassr while Cristiano was present, would not accept."
Former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has had a brilliant season under Laurent Blanc, helping Al-Ittihad win the Saudi Pro League title.
Cristiano Ronaldo wins 2024-25 SPL Golden Boot amid Al-Nassr's struggles
Al-Nassr ace Cristiano Ronaldo has retained the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot despite his side's struggles this season. The Portugal megastar scored 25 goals, finishing ahead of Ivan Toney (23), Karim Benzema (21), and Abderrazak Hamdallah (21) to claim his second consecutive Golden Boot.
The Knights of Najd finished third in the league standings with 70 points from 34 games, 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad. While his side missed out on qualifying for next season's AFC Champions League, Ronaldo showed no signs of slowing down in front of goal. The 40-year-old recorded 35 goals and four assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
Also read: Roberto Martinez's response on whether Ronaldo would accept not being a starter