Nelo Vingada, the former manager of the Saudi Arabian national team, believes his compatriot Jorge Jesus deserved better treatment during his time in charge of Al-Hilal.
Jesus guided Al-Hilal from 2023 to 2025, securing multiple titles, including the league, the King's Cup, and two Saudi Super Cups, while setting a record 34-match winning streak across all competitions.
Despite this success, Al-Hilal dismissed him for falling short in the AFC Champions League—a title the club still lacks—and he immediately joined cross-town rivals Al-Nassr.
On Tuesday, Matchday 32 will pit him against Al-Hilal in a title-deciding derby.
Al-Nassr currently lead the standings on 82 points from 32 matches, five clear of Al-Hilal, who have played one game fewer, with only one round left after this derby.
Asked whether he felt Jesus had been treated unfairly at Al-Hilal, the coach who led Saudi Arabia to victory in the 1996 Asian Cup emphasised that his compatriot "deserved better treatment".
In an interview with Koora to be published later, Vingada said, "Jesus did an amazing job with Al-Hilal, achieving a string of victories, fantastic results and an exceptional season; it is difficult to replicate what he achieved with the team."
"I know Al-Hilal is the biggest club in Saudi Arabia and the pressure there is immense, but a coach who achieves so much deserves better treatment, especially given the brilliant work he and his staff have done."
Vingada concluded, "But that's football, and that's life in the game; sometimes a manager does a great job, yet in the end only results are remembered, no matter how good the work."