"Perhaps he could consider a brief stint" - Rivaldo gives his take on Zinedine Zidane potentially managing Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr
Brazilian legend Rivaldo has shared his take on Zinedine Zidane being linked with becoming the Al-Nassr manager and reuniting with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Al-Alamy parted ways with Rudi Garcia during the course of the ongoing season and under-19 manager Dinko Jelicic is currently in charge of the team. However, the Saudi Pro League side are expected to look for a new manager in the summer.
Apart from Zidane, the likes of Massimiliano Allegri and Jose Mourinho have also been linked with becoming the Saudi Pro League side's coach. Rivaldo recently shared his take on the matter, telling Betfair:
"There is talk in the press that Cristiano Ronaldo is pressuring the Al-Nassr board to hire Zinedine Zidane to take over the club, and whilst I understand Ronaldo's desire to work with someone with whom he was so happy in the past, I think it would be unusual to see Zidane move there."
He added:
"On the other hand, Zidane could see this as a good opportunity from a financial perspective, and also his friendship for a player who gave him so much in his time at Real Madrid. Zidane will certainly have plenty of big European clubs interested in his services and leaving for a second-tier football club in Saudi Arabia would be something unexpected compared to his career goals as a manager.
He further added that it would depend on whether Zidane receives offers from top European clubs. He said:
"In my opinion, it will all depend on possible offers he receives from European clubs this summer, and should the offers not be satisfactory enough, perhaps he could consider a brief stint in the fast-growing Saudi Arabian football."
Zidane has been out of management since his second Real Madrid tenure came to an end at the end of the 2020-21 season.
What is Cristiano Ronaldo's record under Zinedine Zidane?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane worked for four and a half seasons together during their time at Real Madrid over the latter's two stints. They won three UEFA Champions League trophies in a row during that phase, among other trophies.
The Portuguese forward scored 112 goals and provided 27 assists in 114 matches under the legendary Frenchman. The two greats of modern football formed a formidable understanding while working together.
A reunion in the Middle East would be a dream scenario for Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as his fans. However, Zinedine Zidane has been linked with taking over as the Paris Saint-Germain coach as well.