Official! Bruno Lage has a new club, will rival Cristiano Ronaldo | OneFootball

Bruno Lage already has a new challenge in his career. The former Benfica coach has been officially announced as Al Diriyah’s manager, a Saudi Arabian club that will compete in the Saudi Pro League in the 2026/27 season. Negotiations had been ongoing for several days and were already at a very advanced stage, with the Portuguese coach traveling to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to finalize the process and sign a contract with the Saudi club.

In the official announcement, Al Diriyah showed great enthusiasm over Bruno Lage’s appointment, leaving a welcome message on social media: "In Bruno Lage style. With the Portuguese coach, we will build a new era of glory for the land of kings and champions", wrote the club, which also published a video highlighting the Portuguese coach’s career and achievements.

Al Diriyah, based in the city of the same name, located about 15 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, is preparing for its debut in the top division of Saudi football and is relying on Bruno Lage’s experience to lead the new project, where he will face Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr.

At 50 years old, Bruno Lage returns to management after leaving the coaching role at Benfica in September 2025, following the home defeat against Qarabag in the Champions League. It was his second spell with the Eagles, where he had previously won the league title in 2019.

taking charge of Al Diriyah with the aim of establishing the club in the Saudi Pro League and fighting for a place among the leading names in Saudi football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.