Getty Images SportPortuguese coach Jorge Jesus, manager of Al-Nassr, has revealed his stance on taking charge of the Saudi national team at the 2026 World Cup, succeeding French coach Hervé Renard.
Jesus has been tipped to take charge of the Saudi national team at the World Cup, amid criticism of Renard following a significant decline in performance and results in recent times.
At a press conference, the Portuguese coach was asked about his views on the future of the Saudi national team at the 2026 World Cup, in light of their recent slump.
Jesus said in comments reported by the Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: “In my opinion, I know Saudi football well, and Saudi players have improved significantly under top coaches and through their exposure to top players.”
He added: “The Saudi national team is better than before, and in my opinion, they will perform well at the World Cup, but it will be difficult to win the tournament.”
Asked about his stance on managing the Saudi national team at the World Cup should negotiations take place, Jesus said: “In football, there are no ‘ifs’; the reality must be tangible.”
He added: “Two years ago, I was called up to the Saudi national team, but I signed for Al-Hilal (at the time). As for now, my focus is on winning the league with Al-Nassr.”
Jesus spoke about Al-Nasr’s upcoming match against Al-Najma, which will be played tomorrow, Friday, at Al-Awal Park Stadium, in the 27th round of the Roshen League, immediately following the international break.
The Portuguese coach said: “Our preparation for the match isn’t just about the international break, but spans the entire season.”
He added: “Recently, we’ve been training with just 10 players, as the others are away on international duty. We want to win tomorrow; we still have eight finals to go.”
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On the race for the Saudi Pro League title, he said: “I ask our fans to support the team in the coming period; we are just a few steps away from winning the league, and Al-Nassr were never really in contention.”
He continued: “The most important thing is to maintain our lead. We are the highest-scoring team; we need to keep our players fit, and I hope we can avoid injuries, because we have a busy schedule of matches in the coming days and we need all our players.”
Al-Nassr top the Saudi Pro League table with 67 points, three points clear of second-placed Al-Hilal, whilst Al-Ahli sit third with 62 points.
On the subject of injuries, Jesus said: “We have a training session today; (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Sadio) Mané are expected to return, and (Mohamed) Simakan has a minor injury and will train with us, whilst (Kingsley) Coman is feeling a bit tired, and we’ll assess him in training today.”
He added: “It is unlikely that Sami Al-Najei and Abdulmalik Al-Jaber will be among our options in the coming period, as they have not played for a long time and need to help the team by preparing themselves for next season.”
The Portuguese coach also praised his compatriot João Félix, the Al-Nassr player, confirming that he had insisted on signing him before the start of the season.
He explained: “I know João Félix very well, and I know his value as a player and his potential, so I insisted that the club sign him; he is the league’s top assist provider and the season isn’t over yet.”
Jesus also commented on the fact that Saudi winger Abdulrahman Gharib has not yet renewed his contract with Al-Nassr, despite it expiring at the end of the current season.
He added: “The issue of renewing Abdulrahman Gharib’s contract lies with the management. As far as I’m concerned, he’s an important player for both the present and the future, and we have great confidence in him, but anything to do with money is a matter for the management.”
