Ange Postecoglou signs two-year deal as Al Nassr head coach

Ange Postecoglou signs two-year deal as Al Nassr head coach

Ange Postecoglou has been appointed as the new head coach of Saudi Pro League champions Al Nassr on a two-year contract. The announcement, made Friday, July 3, 2026, sees the 60-year-old Australian take over a squad featuring global stars such as 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Sadio Mane, and Kingsley Coman.

Al Nassr described the appointment as a new chapter and wished Postecoglou and his staff success in their journey with the global club.

Postecoglou replaces Jorge Jesus, who stepped down after guiding the club to the Saudi Pro League title on the final day of the season in May. The club signaled its ambitions for the new tenure by using a quote from Postecoglou's time at Tottenham on an announcement graphic: At all my previous clubs, it ends the same. With me and a trophy.

The move comes after a volatile period in the Premier League. Postecoglou's most recent role was with Nottingham Forest, where he was sacked last October after only 39 days. That stint, described as the shortest managerial reign in Premier League history, saw him go winless in eight games, including six defeats. The decision to dismiss him was made by owner Evangelos Marinakis following four consecutive losses in all competitions.

Prior to Forest, Postecoglou managed Tottenham between 2023 and 2025. His time in North London was a rollercoaster; he secured a fifth-place finish in his first season and later ended the club's 17-year European trophy drought by winning the Europa League in 2025. However, he was dismissed just two weeks after that victory after Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League.

Before his recent struggles in England, Postecoglou established a reputation as a proven winner. He secured league titles with Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Celtic, where he won five trophies across two seasons. On the international stage, he managed the Australia men's side from 2013 to 2017, leading the team at the 2014 World Cup and securing qualification for the 2018 tournament. He also coached Australia to Asian Cup victory in 2015.

Following his exit from Nottingham Forest, Postecoglou had been working as a technical adviser for UEFA and a pundit for ITV during the ongoing World Cup. He had also been linked to the vacant Scotland head coach position after Steve Clarke stepped down following a group stage World Cup exit. Reports also linked him to Kazakhstan, though media sources suggested his wage demands were too high for the central Asian side.

The appointment is a return to Asia for Postecoglou since his time with Yokohama F. Marinos. Interestingly, the move occurred hours after his former Yokohama assistant, Arthur Papas, was named head coach of another Saudi Pro League club, Al Ettifaq.

Al Nassr will look for Postecoglou to deliver success in both the domestic league and the Asian Champions Elite competition. The club has a previous connection to Australian football, as defender Aziz Behich played for the team on loan in 2024.

The 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season is scheduled to begin on August 13. The campaign will include an extended break through late December and January while Saudi Arabia hosts the Asian Cup.