Latest news with #JorgeJesus
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Inzaghi named Al-Hilal coach a day after Inter exit
Simone Inzaghi has been appointed head coach of Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, a day after leaving Inter Italian coach has signed a two-year contract after leaving Inter on Serie A club lost 5-0 in Saturday's Champions League final against Paris St-Germain, meaning they suffered their first trophyless season since took charge in 2021, leading the Nerazzurri to the 2023-24 league title and winning the Coppa Italia 49-year-old also led Inter to the 2023 Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Manchester succeeds Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who led Al-Hilal to the Saudi Pro League title in 2023-24 but was sacked last month after his team were knocked out of the Asian Champions League Elite media have reported that Inzaghi's contract is worth up to 30m euros (£25.3m) per first task will be to take charge at the Club World Cup in the United States, where Al-Hilal face Real Madrid in their opening game in Miami on 18 June.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Al Hilal confirm Simone Inzaghi as new head coach following Inter exit
Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal have appointed Simone Inzaghi as their head coach a day after his departure from the Champions League runners-up Inter. The Italian has signed a two-year contract with the club and will be in charge for the Club World Cup in the United States, which starts on June 14. They begin their tournament against Real Madrid on June 18 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. They will also take on Mexican side Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg of Austria in the group stage. Benvenuto, 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐢 🇮🇹💙 — AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) June 4, 2025 Al Hilal are the most successful club in the history of the Saudi Pro League with 19 titles, but they failed to successfully defend the trophy this season, finishing second in the table, eight points behind Al Ittihad. The Riyadh-based club parted ways with Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus in May after their exit from the Asian Champions League and had been without a head coach since. Advertisement It has been a turbulent season for Al Hilal, with their marquee player Neymar terminating his contract by mutual consent in February, having played only seven times since joining for £80million ($102m) in the summer of 2023. Inzaghi began his coaching career at Lazio, where he spent five years and won the Coppa Italia in 2019. He joined Inter in 2021 and went on to win everything there was to win domestically. Inter won the Serie A title in 2023-24 , the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana three times. Inzaghi also led the team to Champions League final twice, falling short on both occasions. The most recent defeat came against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, a 5-0 thrashing that resulted in the 49-year-old leaving the club two days later. 'The time has come for me to say goodbye to this club after four years, during which I have given everything,' he said upon his exit. 'I thank the shareholders for the trust that has never been lacking, and the president and his staff for their daily help and dialogue. On a difficult day like today I think it is right to reiterate this sense of gratitude also for the meeting that ended just now. We were sincere and decided together to end this magnificent journey.' Inter are also participating in the Club World Cup and will take on Mexican side Monterrey, Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds and River Plate of Argentina in the group stage. (Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images)
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
From Rio To The World: Flamengo Targets Global Spotlight In Expanded Club World Cup
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JUNE 1: Flamengo players enter the pitch prior to the match between ... More Flamengo and Fortaleza as part of Brasileirao 2025 at Maracana Stadium on June 1, 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by) Ask any soccer supporter around the world which Brazilian club is the most famous, and the response will be unanimous: Santos - the seaside club where Pelé became a global star. It's an answer that Flamengo fans may not appreciate. Today, the Rio club is more than just a team, it's a cultural phenomenon - boasting a fan base of over 40 million that follows the team every step of the way. Flamengo is a way of life that transcends social classes, ethnicity, religion and divisions. The Rubro-Negro is considered sacrosanct. Yet abroad, Flamengo barely registers. Soccer fans will remember Flamengo from its 1-0 defeat in the final of the Club World Cup against Liverpool in 2019. That season, the club enjoyed unprecedented success under manager Jorge Jesus whose team played with an attacking flair rarely seen in the Brazilian top flight. Flamengo fans had hoped for a repeat of 1981 when Zico and co. swept past Liverpool, but there was to be no victory this time. 'It was a hell of a year because we won the Copa Libertadores Cup after 38 years,' Flamengo president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, nicknamed BAP, told me. 'So it was a magic year. We prepared ourselves for the Club World Cup in regular fashion. It was the end of the season, so it was pretty much excruciating after almost 75 games. It was hard for us to compete against Liverpool.' This summer, Flamengo returns to the spotlight, participating in the 32-team Club World Cup, a tournament that FIFA hopes will become a flagship tournament and a major source of revenue. While the competition has drawn criticism in Europe due to the congested match calendar and the implications of distributing a $1 billion prize pot, the view in Brazil is different. There, it's seen as a chance to build the Flamengo brand, generate revenue, and win a coveted title. Brazil's calendar is already congested, and the Club World Cup adds further strain. This year, Flamengo is competing in the national league, the Brazilian Cup and the Copa Libertadores. In the first half of the season, Flamengo featured in the local state championship. However, new Brazilian FA president Samir Xaud recently promised to reduce the number of match days in the state championships. In the U.S., Flamengo could play up to seven additional matches. Baptista said: 'The priority is the Brasileirao and Libertadores, but I don't see how the Club World Cup would compete against these other competitions. Flamengo this year may play 81 games. It's a lot. You need to have a bigger squad, different medical care, preparation, and so forth. It's more complicated than in other countries, and I don't believe it's sustainable.' The distribution of the $1 billion prize pool has exacerbated fears of financial inequality in the game in Europe and beyond. In Philadelphia, the Brazilians will face Chelsea in the group stage. The recent Conference League winner reported revenues of $633 million, dwarfing Flamengo's income of more than $173 million ($1 billion reais). In 2022, the club's revenue passed $1 billion reais for the first time, more than the revenues of Crystal Palace, Ajax, Sevilla, and Villarreal, the bottom four of Deloitte's 2022 Football Money League. Still, the gap with Europe's true elite remains huge. That disparity is reflected in the prize money on offer at the Club World Cup: European clubs will receive up to $38.19 million in the group stages while South American clubs get just $15.21 million. 'FIFA had to accommodate all these interests,' said Baptista. 'It's the first time FIFA is doing this. FIFA somehow tries to address the different realities of all these clubs. Considering the clubs and the size of the clubs, there must be a differentiation. Having said that, if the differentiation addressed by FIFA is the best one, you know, only time will tell.' Baptista downplayed the importance of the prize money. He pointed out that Brazil and the U.S. lack a bilateral tax agreement. Flamengo could be taxed twice in its earnings from the Club World Cup - up to 40% of its tournament revenue. The club has been struggling to understand and navigate the complexities of state and federal taxes in the U.S., but Flamengo expects to find a solution by the end of the week. 'The net impact on Flamengo is positive, but not critical. Nothing will change in our life because we are a profitable club in Brazil,' explained Baptista. 'We are probably the biggest club in terms of revenues in Latin America, and by far the number one in Brazil. This year, revenue will probably be 1.5 billion reais, which is roughly $270 to $280 million. The total debt will be between $25 to $30 million. The debt is pretty much under control. So from a liquidity standpoint, we have 6 or 7 months in terms of cash. So, from a financial standpoint, we are in a strong position.' The Club World Cup will boost that position. The 2022 Copa Libertadores winner and current Brazilian league leader also plays Esperance de Tunis and Los Angeles FC in Group D, but the ambitions of Flamengo, a club where braggadocio is part of the DNA, extend well beyond the group stages. European clubs will be at the end of their season, allowing Baptista and his club to dream. He concluded: 'We are excited about it. It's going to be tough, but I'm pretty confident. In every competition Flamengo enters, we hope to be the winner. So hopefully, Flamengo will reach the final and become champions.' In such a scenario, Flamengo would share in some of the global fame Santos still enjoys.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mega Darwin Nunez Saudi Arabia bid is IMMINENT
Saudi Arabian sides make Nunez their top target The question that remains is whether Saudi sides are prepared to make an offer for him again. The answer seems to be yes and there is a feeling a mega bid surpassing their offer of £70m could be imminent. Advertisement According to Saudi outlet Asharq Al-Awsat the Saudi Pro League has made Nunez one of their top targets this summer. The report claims that Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and Al Nassr all want to sign the Uruguayan. Among those clubs, the former are managed by Nunez's former Benfica manager, Jorge Jesus and they are competing in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer. The report claims above that all four clubs have prioritised a move for Nunez. Meanwhile, Kaoru Mitoma and Luis Diaz have also both been listed as targets. With the transfer window opening up on June 1st a bid now seems imminent for the Liverpool forward. Advertisement The Reds will want to wrap up a deal for Nunez as soon as possible so they can move onto their next targets and find the perfect no.9 for Slot's style of play. It has been very clear from the last few months that there is no future for Nunez at Anfield so the sooner his future is settled the better. We expect things to take a rapid turn in the next two weeks as Liverpool conclude their season and look forward to celebrating the Premier League title.
Times of Oman
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Brazil close to appointing new manager, says official
RIO DE JANEIRO: The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) aims to name a new men's national team manager by next week, sporting director Rodrigo Caetano said on Monday. The position has been vacant since March 28, when Dorival Junior was sacked following a 4-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Argentina in Buenos Aires. Caetano said he continued assessing potential candidates with CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues and technical coordinator Juan Santos. "We are constantly in internal meetings ... and we are trying to confirm this name as quickly as possible," Caetano told Sportv. "Due to the confidential nature of our negotiations, it is practically impossible for us to talk about probabilities. We know that it is a national issue and that the choice of the head coach for the Brazilian national team is an extremely important one. We hope to be able to confirm the new manager next week at the latest." Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is understood to remain the CBF's preferred choice, with Jorge Jesus and Abel Ferreira also contenders. The CBF previously said it intended to appoint a new manager in time for Brazil's World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June. "We are working with a very small number of names ... and we have our targets," Caetano said. "But it's very difficult to talk about any specific name right now because it could be counterproductive." Brazil is currently fourth in the 10-team South American qualifying group, 10 points behind leader Argentina with four matchdays remaining. The top six teams will earn an automatic place at football's showpiece tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada next year. The seventh-ranked side will advance to an intercontinental playoff.
