Al Nassr appoint former Al Hilal coach Marcus Soares to lead U21 revival

Al Nassr have hired former Al Hilal youth coach Marcus Soares to take charge of their under-21 side next season, in a move mirroring the club’s successful gamble on ex-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus.

The Saudi Pro League giants have turned to the Brazilian to overhaul their elite youth team in the upcoming Jameel Elite League campaign, after a disappointing quarter-final exit last season to Al Fateh over two legs.

Brazilian youth specialist to head Al Nassr U21

According to Saudi daily Al-Riyadiyah, Al Nassr have finalised an agreement with Soares to lead their U21 squad in the 2024-25 campaign of the Jameel Elite League.

The 42-year-old (age not given in article; typical BBC might omit if unknown) is considered a specialist in youth development and will be backed by a multi-national staff. Fellow Brazilian Fernando Junior will join as goalkeeping coach, Portuguese coach Miguel Arias will serve as first assistant, while Badr Aba Al-Hussain has been appointed as second assistant.

Soares is no stranger to Saudi football or to the Riyadh rivalry. He first arrived in the Kingdom with Al Hilal in 2021, when he was appointed coach of the club’s under-17 side. His performances there earned him successive promotions within the Saudi national youth set-up.

From Al Hilal academy to Saudi national teams

After his stint at Al Hilal’s academy, Soares was recruited by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to work with the national youth teams. He took charge of the Saudi under-19s in 2023 and then moved up to coach the under-20s in 2024.

His most notable achievement to date came with the under-17 national team, where he guided Saudi Arabia to the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U17 Championship title. Under his leadership, the young Saudis also clinched qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile in 2025.

These successes have enhanced his reputation inside Saudi football circles as a coach capable of nurturing talent and delivering results in age-group competitions – qualities Al Nassr hope will underpin a new era for their U21s.

Rebuilding after Elite League disappointment

Al Nassr’s U21 side exited the previous edition of the Jameel Elite League at the quarter-final stage, losing home and away to Al Fateh. That early elimination has prompted a reset at academy level, with Soares tasked with rebuilding confidence and competitiveness.

The club’s hierarchy are understood to view the U21 team as a crucial stepping stone between the academy and the star-studded first team, where the pressure to win major honours is intense. Strengthening the U21 structure is seen as essential to sustaining long-term success and supplying homegrown talent to the senior squad.

Echoes of Jorge Jesus move from Al Hilal

The appointment of a coach with an Al Hilal background revives memories of Al Nassr’s high-profile move for Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus, who also crossed the Riyadh divide.

Jesus previously led Al Hilal to the Saudi league title in the 2023-24 season before moving to Al Nassr, where he guided the club to the Roshn Saudi League championship last term. His success after switching from Al Hilal to their traditional rivals has set a precedent that Soares will now seek to emulate at youth level.

While the Brazilian will not be working with the first team, his role in shaping the next generation of Al Nassr players will be scrutinised closely. The club hope that, as with Jesus, betting on a coach with a history at their fiercest rivals can once again pay off – this time by delivering a stronger pipeline of young talent capable of sustaining Al Nassr’s ambitions at home and abroad.