Former Al-Nassr manager Luis Castro commended Cristiano Ronaldo and said he had a “clear conscience” even if he did not bring home a big prize while he was at the Saudi Pro League team.
Castro’s Al-Nassr finished second in the 2023–24 Saudi Pro League season, lagging 14 points behind their rivals, Al-Hilal, despite a team full of well-known players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte. Al-Hilal also caused the squad to suffer embarrassing losses in knockout contests such the King Cup of Champions and the Saudi Super Cup.
Castro Reflects on Al-Hilal’s Strength and Rivalry
In an interview with Record, Castro reflected on the challenges of competing against a dominant Al-Hilal side, likening it to the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona:
“It feels like things would have been different without Al-Hilal, but that’s life. Real Madrid often don’t achieve their goals because Barcelona exist, and vice versa. A team doesn’t stop being great just because they don’t win at a certain point.”
Castro pointed out Al-Hilal’s strength, highlighting their star-studded roster, which included players like Aleksandar Mitrovic, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Neves, Bono, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. He also noted their Guinness record for consecutive wins.
Clear Conscience Despite Trophyless Run
Despite the setbacks, Castro maintained that he had no regrets about his time at Al-Nassr:
“But I have a clear conscience: we gave everything we had and managed to improve the team.”
While his time at the club ended without silverware, Castro remained proud of the progress Al-Nassr made during his tenure.
