Al Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou has revealed that the opportunity to coach Cristiano Ronaldo and become part of the Portuguese forward’s remarkable career influenced his decision to join the Saudi Pro League club.
Postecoglou, 61, took charge of Al Nassr in July on a two-year contract following the departure of Jorge Jesus, who has since been appointed manager of the Portugal national team.
The Saudi club also boasts a number of high-profile players, including Sadio Mané, Kingsley Coman and João Félix.
Speaking on the LiSTNR podcast, The Howie Games, Postecoglou said the prospect of working with Ronaldo was one of the attractions of taking the job.
The Australian reflected on the prominent players he has worked with throughout his career, including former Hungary and Real Madrid great Ferenc Puskás, Tim Cahill and Son Heung-min.
He said working alongside such iconic players had allowed him to become a small part of their individual stories, adding that the same opportunity now exists with Ronaldo.
“There’s no doubt, Cristiano Ronaldo’s here, you kind of go, I can become a small part of his story as well,” Postecoglou said.
He stressed that his decision was not motivated by personal gain but by the significance of being associated with players who have made a lasting impact on football.
“That was part of the attraction… Not that they’ll tell my story alongside it, but I can tell that story, and that was a part of it as well,” he added.
Postecoglou has enjoyed an unbeaten start to the 2026-27 season with Al Nassr and was named the Saudi Pro League Manager of the Month for August.
The club is targeting another league title as well as its first Asian Champions League Elite crown.
The former Australia, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest manager said he received approaches from more than 10 clubs after leaving Forest but opted for Al Nassr because of the opportunity to make an impact in a rapidly growing league.
Postecoglou rejected suggestions that moving outside Europe represented a backward step in his career, saying he had never been dismissive of leagues outside the traditional European football centres.
“I’ve never worried about… People say ‘it’s not in Europe, it’s not a higher profile league’ but I’ve always railed against people who are snobbish about certain leagues,” he said.
He added that his priority was to determine whether a job offered an opportunity to make an impact and whether he would be excited by the challenge.
According to Postecoglou, the Saudi Pro League met those criteria because of its investment, growing list of top managers and the presence of several world-class players.
The Australian also dismissed concerns about managing a player of Ronaldo’s stature, describing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as highly motivated and focused on achieving his remaining career goals.
Postecoglou noted that Ronaldo is closing in on 1,000 career goals, a milestone he described as potentially “unbelievable.”
