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Jorge Jesus delivers on Ronaldo promise then leaves Al-Nassr with Fenerbahce talks underway

·By Paul Lindisfarne
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Jorge Jesus delivers on Ronaldo promise then leaves Al-Nassr with Fenerbahce talks underway

Al Nassr/X.com

Jorge Jesus has left Al-Nassr having fulfilled the exact promise he made when he arrived in Riyadh — to help Cristiano Ronaldo win the Saudi Pro League title and then walk away.

The 71-year-old Portuguese coach is now in talks with Fenerbahçe about his next appointment.

Al-Nassr confirmed the departure via their official channels, posting a message of thanks: "What a journey. What a chapter. Thank you, mister."

Jesus took charge at Al-Nassr on a one-year contract in the summer of 2025 and guided the club to 40 wins across 49 matches. The Saudi title — Al-Nassr's first league championship in seven years — was secured on the final day with a 4-1 victory over Damac in which Ronaldo scored twice and João Félix assisted.

The club also reached the final of the AFC Champions League, where they were beaten by Japanese side Gamba Osaka, and the final of the Saudi Super Cup, where they lost to Al-Ahli.

Jesus had been explicit from the outset about the terms of his commitment.

"I told Cristiano: I'll help you become champion and then I'll leave for my own path," he said after the title win. "When I accepted this challenge, after being invited by Cristiano and [Nelson] Semedo, I knew it would be the most difficult of my coaching career."

With the mission complete, attention has quickly turned to what comes next. Saudi outlet Al-Youm reported that Fenerbahçe have entered negotiations with Jesus to take over as head coach for next season. Jesus previously managed the Istanbul club during the 2022-23 season, winning the Turkish Cup. He has acknowledged interest from Turkey, telling reporters that those within the club had asked him to start dreaming.

Besiktas have also been mentioned as an interested party, though Fenerbahçe appear to be the frontrunners at this stage.

Al-Nassr now face the task of replacing a coach who engineered a title-winning season around one of the most scrutinised squads in world football. The bar has been set.