Jorge Jesus just won’t become Saudi Arabia’s coach if he doesn’t want to. According to Al Riyadh newspaper (close to the Saudi government), the Portuguese coach has an offer to guide the selection until 2026. And according to DN from sources close to the coach, the proposal is “astronomical” and “irrevocable”, amounting to up to 10 million euros per year plus bonuses and bonuses based on targets.
According to DN, the 68-year-old Portuguese was chosen for the position by Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s sports minister, who had already invited him to train Al Hilal.. The conversation took place last week and got the Portuguese thinking about the figures involved. Jorge Jesus thus becomes the highest paid coach in the world.
Looking at the salaries of those who were at the 2022 World Cup, Hans-Dieter Flick (Germany) was the highest paid coach, with an annual salary of €6.5 million, while Fernando Santos received 2.5 million when he coached Portugal .
To get an idea of how historic the contract can be, currently only six top coaches in football receive more per year/season: Diego Simeone (34 million; Atlético de Madrid), Pep Guardiola (22; Manchester City), Jurgen Klopp (17.8; Liverpool), Massimiliano Allegri (12.8; Juventus), Thomas Tuchel (12; Bayern Munich) and Carlo Ancelotti (11; Real Madrid). José Mourinho already receives 9.2 million at AS Roma.
The highest amount that the former coach of Benfica and Sporting ever received per season is 7 million euros (at Al Hilal and Fenerbahçe). Now it will be 10 million for a new adventure abroad, his first as a coach. Jorge Jesus says goodbye to the Istanbul club at the end of his contract with Fenerbahçe after the final of the Turkish Cup, which takes place against Basaksehir on Sunday. At that time, the agreement with the Saudis will be finalized and signed.
Preferring to continue coaching a club, the coach still dreamed of a return to Flamengo or an invitation that he said would be “irrevocable” from the Brazilian national team, which is still without a coach but no interesting official offers has received from a sporting and financial point of view… so far beyond the Saudi Football Association’s offer.
Therefore, if there is no comeback, the coach will lead even the green hawks – the only ones who managed to beat Argentina, who would become champions, in the 2022 World Cup – who saw the then coach, Frenchman Hervé Renard, resign last March to take charge of the France women’s national team.
In addition to his salary exceeding all possible and imaginary offers, the position of coach allows him to travel between Lisbon and Riyadh and fulfill his dream of participating in a World Cup. Picking up the Saudi national team now and taking it to the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico is the big goal. In addition to the mission to qualify Arabia for the third consecutive World Cup, after attending Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018, next year, between January and February, will be the Asian Cup of selections.
The Portuguese coach should thus return to training in Riyadh, after taking charge of Al Hilal, the then defending champion, in June 2018, tempted by a salary of seven million euros. The first experience abroad was short lived and Jesus left Saudi football months later in January 2019 with a Super Cup win before taking over Flamengo, the club where he became champion of Brazil and won the Copa Libertadores da América.
If he accepts, he will become the eighth Portuguese coach at the helm of a foreign team: Fernando Santos (Poland), Rui Vitória (Egypt), Carlos Queiroz (Qatar), Pedro Gonçalves (Angola), Paulo Duarte (Togo), Hélio Sousa (Barhein), José Peseiro (Nigeria).
From NES to Pedro Emanuel
Nuno Espírito Santo became champion of the Saudi league this year, preventing Cristiano Ronaldo from celebrating the title at Al Nassr. The former FC Porto trainer has been in command of Al-Ittihad since July 2022 and had already won the Super Cup in January of this year. A few days ago he received Benzema as a gift for the 2023-2024 season.
Pedro Emanuel has managed Al Khaleej this season, having been with Al Nassr last year and led Al Taawon in 2018/19 and won the Kings Cup. With Carlos Nogueira
Source: DN
