A renowned former Real Madrid player has signed a contract with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, joining forces with Cristiano Ronaldo.
This development comes soon after Real Madrid clinched their 15th Champions League title at Wembley with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund. Reports suggest that Ronaldo has been encouraging his former teammates to join him at Al-Nassr, a club where he has yet to win any trophies since his arrival a year and a half ago.
Last Friday was an emotional day for him following their penalty shootout loss to Al-Hilal in the Saudi King Cup final, with Al-Hilal also winning the league championship by a 14-point margin.
However, the atmosphere at the club has improved with the arrival of renowned former Real Madrid player Fernando Hierro, who has joined Al-Nassr as the sporting director, despite never having played alongside Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.
The club announced the signing on social media, featuring images of a smiling 56-year-old Hierro at the stadium and seated at a conference table.
The club’s announcement was enthusiastic: “We are excited to welcome the Spanish legend Fernando Hierro as Al-Nassr’s new sporting director! A warm welcome to Fernando.” Hierro had an illustrious 14-year career at Madrid, winning five LaLiga titles and three Champions League trophies as a defender or defensive midfielder.
Fans of English football might remember his time at Bolton during the 2004-05 season under Sam Allardyce, where the team finished sixth in the Premier League.
During that year, Hierro joined Bolton at the Reebok Stadium, playing alongside notable players such as Les Ferdinand, Gary Speed, and El-Hadji Diouf.
Hierro also earned 89 caps for Spain, though the national team never advanced past the quarter-finals in the six tournaments he participated in.
In his coaching career, Hierro has managed Oviedo and briefly led the Spanish national team during the 2018 World Cup, guiding them to the last 16 after Julen Lopetegui’s dismissal. Hierro will reunite with Ronaldo, who is currently on vacation, recovering from the disappointment of the King Cup final.
Ronaldo has been sharing vacation photos on Instagram, appearing refreshed before joining the national team for the upcoming summer tournament.
In one photo, he is seen wearing pale blue shorts, posing against a pristine beach backdrop, with the caption “Recharging.”
Another Instagram story features Ronaldo with his five children and partner Georgina Rodriguez enjoying the beach.