Third in the Saudi League, eliminated from the King's Cup in the round of 16, a humiliating defeat in the Super Cup final against Al Hilal (4-1), and knocked out in the AFC Champions League semifinals by Kawasaki Frontale. The 2024/25 season of Al Nassr was too much for Cristiano Ronaldo, to the point where he posted a mysterious message on his social media: "This chapter has ended. The story? It is still being written. Grateful to everyone."
What seemed like the departure of the world's highest-paid footballer in search of new challenges, especially towards teams competing in the Club World Cup, has ended up taking a very different turn. "They had to give him everything he wanted to stay, as they know that the present and part of the future of the Saudi league depends on him," a negotiation source told The Sun. Cristiano not only stays at Al Nassr with a substantial contract improvement, but the one who could leave imminently is the sports director of the institution, Fernando Hierro, after just one year in the position.
Last summer, the Spanish executive signed with the Saudi team from Chivas. A club and a country, Mexico, where his youngest son was born and from which he said goodbye with great affection. Unlike other markets in Middle Eastern clubs, where stars in the twilight of their careers were usually signed, the sports director opted for young talent to strengthen Al Nassr. He spent 175 million euros, mostly on players with great potential like Colombian from Aston Villa, Jhon Durán (77 million), the French-Guinean from Leipzig, Mohamed Simakan (35 million), or the Brazilian from Chelsea, Angelo (23 million).
On the bench, he kept Portuguese Luis Castro, but the thrashing in the Super Cup final against Al Hilal led to his immediate replacement with a personal choice: Stefano Pioli. The dismissal of Castro, publicly endorsed with a monumental outburst from Cristiano, his first defender when he signed for the club in 2023, after that lost final.
But the Italian's adventure, despite Ronaldo's best season with Al Nassr (35 goals), ended without titles even though he still had another year on his contract. Pioli was not the first victim of the restructuring demanded by Cristiano, as a week earlier the club's CEO, Majed Jaman Alsorour, had been let go. "Today I was dismissed in a way that I consider unprofessional, inappropriate, and unacceptable," wrote the former executive, announcing legal actions against the entity.
Thus, Hierro, whose departure could be confirmed in the coming days, is the third victim of the restructuring demanded by CR7. "Cristiano has what he wants, and with the actions, he is kept close as a force to attract players, sponsors, and attention until he retires," described the source to the British newspaper.
The mentioned actions could involve around 15% of the club's ownership and would have a value of around 38 million euros. In addition to this, there would be the 570 million euros in salary for two seasons and a bonus of 28.6 million, which could rise to 44 if he fulfills the two signed years. Furthermore, his bonuses increase to almost 100,000 euros per goal and 50,000 per assist, which would increase by 20% in the second season. Apart from the numbers, the Portuguese and his family will have 16 staff members at their service, a private jet, and shared sponsorship agreements with the club worth around 70 million euros annually.
"He is aware of that [his importance] and they had to 'shower him with gold' to make him stay by giving him more money, bonuses, and benefits," negotiation sources told The Sun. Cristiano not only demanded gold but also victims. Fernando Hierro, former sports director of the Spanish national team, is the latest one.