Raising the Saudi Crown: Jesus and Nasr Rewrite the Kingdom’s Football Ledger
21 November 2025
Nassr ahead of Hilal in the national team
Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus, head coach of Al-Nassr, says the Saudi national team mirrors the clear edge his side has over their traditional rivals Al-Hilal in recent times.
Jesus and Al-Nassr are preparing to face Al-Khaleej on Sunday at Al-Awwal Park, in the ninth round of the Saudi Pro League.
Nassr players versus Hilal in the national team
Last season the Saudi squad included four players from Al-Nassr and a large number from Hilal, reaching up to twelve.
This season, the Saudi squad features six players from Al-Nassr and five from Hilal, after a period when Nassr players were less represented in the national team.
For the Arab Cup 2025, the Saudi roster included six Nassr players: Nawaf Al-Ghaidi, Ragid Al-Najjar, Nawaf Boshl, Ayman Yahya, Abdulilah Al-Omari, and Abdullah Al-Khibr.
By contrast, the list included five Hilal players: Hassan Tambakti, Nasser Al-Dosari, Mohammed Kanno, Salem Al-Dosari, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
The Gulf match
Turning to the Gulf clash, the Portuguese coach described Gulf as a strong side led by Greek coach Georgios Donis, with Kostas Fortounis making many key passes and assists.
Jesus added that the match would be hard, that they would study the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, adapt to their ideas, and be ready to secure the victory.
He noted that the squad had been split for about 15 days, and today was the second day the group had come back together.
Injury status
Jesus gave updates on wingers Kingsley Coman and Ayman Yahya, who have been sidelined but are now training with the squad and will be assessed in upcoming sessions.
I am not saddened if they do not score in the first 30 minutes; I care about the team winning and demand perfection, though I know perfection is hard to achieve.
He sent a message to the fans saying they want to build a strong home presence and asked them to attend and support the players to help secure the win.
Writing history
Jesus aims to write a new chapter in the Gulf clash after starting the current season with eight consecutive wins, topping the table with 24 points, three clear of Al-Taawoun in second, which has suffered only one defeat against the same powerhouse Al-Nassr.
He does not just want to match a record but to chase a bigger narrative in which the club becomes a history in the making as colors and numbers merge into a defining moment.
Since 2013-2014, Nassr had the longest league winning run with 13 straight wins; the streak stood for nine seasons until Jesus himself broke it in February 2024, albeit for Hilal this time. He did not stop there and extended it to 24 straight wins with Hilal before the run was halted in a dramatic draw with Nassr.
Today Jesus faces a paradox: the man who erased Nassr’s historic run earlier could now help Nasr reclaim or perhaps surpass it, offering a fascinating chapter in the club’s saga.
In short, he stands at the threshold of the best possible start for Nassr with 13 wins and could move toward breaking Hilal’s 24-win record if the momentum continues.
Defining challenge
The upcoming match against Al-Khaleej is not a mere test; it is a pivotal moment that could determine whether Jesus can equal his earlier mark with Nassr or simply add another page to the club’s storied history.
A victory would place Nassr on the cusp of a historic streak under Jesus and could lay the groundwork for a landmark achievement in the club’s chronicles.
Punchlines: if history had a goalkeeper, Jesus would have saved it from becoming Hilal’s trophy cabinet; if records grew on trees, Nassr would have planted a forest and invited the league to shade.
