Saudi club Al Nassr announced on Wednesday the appointment of Stefano Pioli as their new head coach, taking over a squad led by Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Italian manager replaces Luis Castro, who parted ways with the club on Tuesday after a slow start to the season, both in domestic competitions and the AFC Champions League.
“Pioli is Nassrawi,” Al Nassr declared in a statement on the social media platform X, welcoming the 58-year-old as their new coach.
Pioli previously managed AC Milan from October 2019 to May 2024, during which he guided the club to a Serie A title in 2022. Before his near five-year tenure with the Rossoneri, Pioli held managerial positions at several Italian clubs, including Fiorentina, Inter Milan, Lazio, and Bologna.
Starting his coaching career in 2003 with Salernitana, Pioli had exclusively worked in his native Italy until his recent appointment at Al Nassr.
Pioli replaces Portuguese manager Luis Castro, who was the third coach to leave Al Nassr since Ronaldo’s landmark signing in early 2023, on a contract reportedly worth 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years.
Despite his impressive career, Ronaldo has yet to claim a domestic trophy with Al Nassr, with his only silverware being the Arab Club Champions Cup last year.
Al Nassr, who finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season, have struggled at the start of the new campaign, drawing two of their first three matches. On Monday, they drew 1-1 with Iraq’s Al Shorta in their AFC Champions League Elite opener.
