Ange Postecoglou will step into a Riyadh dugout alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, appointed head coach of Saudi Pro League champions Al-Nassr on a two-year contract—a comeback for a manager whose last two Premier League jobs ended in humiliation.
The 60-year-old Australian has been out of work since Nottingham Forest sacked him last October after just 40 days in charge. He went winless in eight games, six of them defeats, prompting a fan revolt in the East Midlands before his removal.
“Ange Postecoglou appointed Al-Nassr head coach, managing Cristiano Ronaldo after two failed Premier League stints.”
“A new chapter. Mr Ange Postecoglou appointed as head coach of the Al-Nassr first team. The contract spans two seasons,” the club said in a statement. “We wish him and his staff every success in their journey.”
Postecoglou’s route back into management comes after two bruising Premier League spells. He guided Tottenham to Europa League glory in 2025 but was sacked two weeks later when Spurs finished 17th in the league. A brief, miserable tenure at Nottingham Forest followed, ending with six defeats and no wins in eight attempts.
He takes over an Al-Nassr side captained by Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who led the club to the Saudi Pro League title on the final day of the season in May under Jorge Jesus. The 71-year-old Portuguese coach stood down after that triumph. Postecoglou will also coach a squad containing Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman and Joao Felix.
Before his Premier League troubles, Postecoglou won back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles at Celtic and league titles with Brisbane Roar and Yokohama F Marinos. He has spent the summer working as a pundit for ITV during the World Cup—offering analysis alongside Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright—while being linked with the Scotland job after Steve Clarke resigned following their group-stage exit, and with Kazakhstan, though media reports said his wage demands were too high for the central Asian side.
The move pits him against another former Celtic boss: Brendan Rodgers left Parkhead for Al-Qadsiah last year, setting up a Saudi title rivalry. Postecoglou’s predecessor Jesus was believed to be earning around £10.5 million annually, suggesting a similarly eye-watering package for the new man.