https://www.scmp.com/rss/522603/feed The latest news and top stories on Laurent Blanc. Known as a 1998 World Cup-winning centre-back, Blanc has an illustrious playing career including spells at Barcelona and Manchester United. As a manager, he guided Al-Ittihad to the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League championship, marking his first major trophy outside France. He previously led Paris Saint-Germain to multiple Ligue 1 titles and won the French league with Bordeaux. His extensive experience and tactical acumen are evident in his successful... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Jorge Jesus acknowledged the pulling power of “global phenomenon” Cristiano Ronaldo lured more than 30,000 people to watch his Al-Nassr team beat Al-Ittihad in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Supporters turned the tired Hong Kong Stadium into a colourful corner of Riyadh, as they roared Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr into Saturday’s Saudi Super Cup final. The 2-1 victory over last season’s league and cup winners Al-Ittihad was all the more impressive for the fact Jesus’ team played with 10 men for more than an hour... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322469/al-nassr-boss-says-global-phenomenon-cristiano-ronaldo-biggest-show-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322469/al-nassr-boss-says-global-phenomenon-cristiano-ronaldo-biggest-show-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:30:09 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Hong Kong is this week playing host to the Saudi Super Cup, which is why Cristiano Ronaldo is in town. The tournament has been running annually since 2013 but this is the third edition of its four-team format. It brings together the winners and runners-up from the Saudi Pro League and the country’s King's Cup in a mini-tournament, comprising two semi-finals and a final at Hong Kong Stadium. Hong Kong is its third overseas host city after London – three times – and Abu Dhabi. Al-Nassr will play... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322374/saudi-super-cup-cristiano-ronaldos-hong-kong-who-else-coming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3322374/saudi-super-cup-cristiano-ronaldos-hong-kong-who-else-coming?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:47:58 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara New Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus has said on the eve of the Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong that the opportunity to manage Cristiano Ronaldo was a “big incentive” to accept a new challenge at 71. Al-Nassr are the 16th club of Jesus’ cosmopolitan career, after he was tasked with masterminding overdue Saudi success for superstar Ronaldo. The forward, who has plundered 93 goals in 105 Al-Nassr appearances, is in Hong Kong chasing only his second piece of silverware in 2½ years with the Riyadh side,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3322272/ronaldo-hong-kong-new-al-nassr-boss-says-coaching-cr7-was-incentive-join?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3322272/ronaldo-hong-kong-new-al-nassr-boss-says-coaching-cr7-was-incentive-join?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:30:07 +0000