Only a few days after Al-Hilal’s failure to reach the AFC Champions League final and a 3-1 defeat against Al-Ahli, the Riyadh-based club issued an official statement terminating their cooperation with Jorge Jesus.

Rumors about the future of the Portuguese coach had started immediately after the elimination from the AFC Champions League; rumors that were initially unofficial but have now become reality. Al-Hilal emphasized in a statement that this separation was mutual and thanked Jesus and his technical staff for their efforts since last season.

Jesus, who had experienced brilliant seasons with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League and set numerous records, ultimately failed to fulfill the Asian dream of the fans—a dream that was one of his main goals upon returning to the team.

Meanwhile, Al-Hilal’s board has appointed “Mohammed Al-Shalhoub,” a former player and a popular figure among fans, as interim coach for the remaining domestic matches.

The end of Jesus’s tenure at Al-Hilal was tense and predictable; a key defeat in the semi-finals questioned all his technical achievements, and the pressure from fans forced the club’s management to make a serious and immediate decision. Now, all eyes are on the future of Al-Hilal’s bench to see who will succeed the Portuguese coach.

Al-Hilal’s statement read:
Al-Hilal and “Jesus” have agreed to terminate the contractual cooperation. The board of Al-Hilal Club has agreed with the first-team football coach, “Jorge Jesus,” to terminate the contractual cooperation and announced this separation while thanking the technical staff for their efforts from last season until now. The board also decided to appoint Mohammed Al-Shalhoub as interim coach of the first football team in the Saudi Pro League competitions.”

Al-Hilal currently sits second in the Saudi Pro League with 62 points, four points behind Al-Ittihad, and on paper, can still win the title in the remaining five matches if their rival stumbles. A path that Asia’s elite will now tread without Jesus.