Cristiano Ronaldo is set to have a new club boss in the coming days with Marc Brys emerging as the likely successor to Stefano Pioli at Al Nassr.
Pioli is poised to take over at Fiorentina, and has reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Viola.
That will create a vacancy at Al Nassr that could be filled by Brys, according to reports in his native Belgium.
The 63-year-old has previous experience of coaching in Saudi Arabia in a well-travelled career that has also seen him oversee teams in Belgium and the Netherlands.
🔴 Marc Brys, sélectionneur des Lions indomptables, intéresse fortement Al Nassr, le club saoudien dans lequel évolue Cristiano Ronaldo. 🦁🇨🇲
[@HLN_BE] pic.twitter.com/1Qzeo3vx6n
— AllezLesLions (@AllezLesLions) June 15, 2025
Success after disrupted start to life in Cameroon
He is currently coach of Cameroon after riding out a storm that saw him stuck in the middle of a row between Cameroon FA (Fecafoot) president Samuel Eto’o and the country’s Ministry of Sport (Minsep).
Eto’o wanted a high-profile boss to replace Rigobert Song in 2023 while Minsep, who pay the wages of the national team coach, appointed the previously unknown Brys.
In a period of great instability, Brys was fired and then reinstated within 48 hours.
Since then he has gained the respect of all by leading Cameroon in 12 games, winning seven and drawing five.
The way he conducted himself during the disagreement between Fecafoot and Minsep is believed to have impressed Al Nassr chiefs with Brys’ passive approach a good fit for working in an authoritarian state.
Ronaldo committed to Al Nassr
Should Brys get the job, he will have Ronaldo at his disposal in the next Pro League season.
After being linked with Saudi rivals Al Hilal, as well as a short-term move to one of the competing teams in the Club World Cup, Ronaldo has said he will remain with Al Nassr next term.
He will hope to help the Riyadh club to their first major trophy since he joined in 2022 from Manchester United.
The 40-year-old has finished as the leading scorer in the Pro League in each of the past two seasons. In total he has scored 99 goals in 105 appearances for Al Nassr.
Ronaldo finished the season on a high, scoring in a penalty shoot-out as Portugal won the Nations League by beating Spain in the final.
