There’s no comparison between Saudi and Portuguese leagues – Al Hilal boss Jorge Jesus

Jorge Jesus sat down with Portuguese newspaper A Bola this week for an extensive interview, in which he discussed his current situation in Saudi Arabia, ranging from his short-term plans to the strength of the Saudi Pro League.

Jesus led Al Hilal to a world record breaking run of victories last season which helped them regain the national championship at the expense of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Now, the veteran coach is targeting the Asian Champions League, while Jesus also still has an outside hope of coaching Brazil in the future.

The 70-year-old former Braga, Benfica and Sporting coach is in his second spell in charge of Al Hilal, where he is now revered for his achievements last season. Under Jesus, the team nicknamed Blue Power won the Pro League by 14 points, largely owed to a 34-match winning run in all competitions which broke the Guinness World Record.

“What we want is to win,” Jesus told A Bola. “That’s why I said that Al Hilal’s biggest rival this year is Al Hilal, because we’ve won everything. I’m not saying that we can’t do the same, but it’s difficult. So, that’s our challenge this year. We’ve already won one of the three competitions. We started by winning the Super Cup, now we have the league and the Saudi Arabian Cup to go.

“And the big goal at the moment, for all Al Hilal fans, is the Asian Champions League and the next Club World Cup, which will be in the United States. That’s what will be the big challenge for me, is to be present at the next World Cup.

“Saudi Arabia is a great country, a country where there are rules and safety. In Europe, there is none of this, a country where any citizen feels safe. It is a country with enormous capacity for evolution. I think that in the next 10 years, Saudi Arabia should be a country to watch out for, not only in football, but in any activity in the world.

“My future? In football I don’t make many plans, that’s why I only sign one-year contracts with all clubs. The Brazilian national team is different, of course it is an ambition, I don’t deny it. But it will be difficult. In Brazil, it is rare for a foreign coach to be in charge of the Brazilian national team. It may change, but it is unlikely to happen. They are not very keen on a foreign coach, whoever it may be, coaching the Brazilian national team.

“If it is a foreigner, I think I will be the one who can be familiar. Because there are 50 million Flamengo fans (where Jesus coached) alone. But I don’t want to create a scenario with what might happen in my career. Because that is how I have always guided my career: football is day-to-day. I tell my players this.”

Defending the Saudi league – no comparison with Portugal

The competence of the Saudi Pro League continues to be the subject of much debate. Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman recently caused a stir by stating that international forward Steven Bergwijn would no longer be selected after joining Al-Ittihad. However, Jesus insists Koeman is wrong and believes the Saudi domestic game is considerably stronger than that of his homeland.

“He has no moral authority to say that, because he doesn’t know the Saudi league,” Jesus said. “And the players in Saudi compared to the Dutch league, there’s no way you can compare. His league is not quite the second division, but it’s one of the weakest leagues in Europe.

“Each team [in Saudi] has ten foreigners, all of whom, or almost all of whom, are from their national teams. It is a very strong championship. Sometimes, when I watch Portuguese television, I see people trying to compare this championship with the Portuguese championship, as if there were any comparison. There is no possible comparison.

“It’s because of the players who play here. The players are the ones who make the quality of football, and the players who are here are better. Not all of them, but the vast majority of them are top-level players, so the football has to be top-level. Then there are stadiums with high-quality pitches and which provide good conditions for fans to watch their games. They are top-quality stadiums.

“There is no comparison. Anyone who wants to compare the Portuguese league with the Saudi league is only saying that because they don’t know anything.”

Cancelo the best in the world – Jesus

Al Hilal’s ranks were boosted this summer by the arrival of Portugal full-back João Cancelo from Manchester City in a €25m deal. The singing further demonstrates the ambition of the club, who last summer acquired Rúben Neves from Wolverhampton Wanderers as well as Brazilian superstar Neymar, while Marcos Leonardo was another recent capture from Benfica.

“Marcos Leonardo’s characteristics fit the profile of the Al Hilal team,” Jesus said. “I spoke to the people in charge at Al Hilal and I thought he was the player who had the ideal profile and characteristics to add to the quality of the team. He was very available and very receptive to the idea when I spoke to him.

“I just say which player I want, and the president believed in me once again. I pushed hard to get him to come. Fortunately, he has given good impressions. He hasn’t reached his full potential yet, but we are very happy with his work. I realised something in the first training sessions he did with me. I won’t say what, but in the first training sessions he did with me I said to him: "Now I know why Benfica didn’t win." But that’s between me and him.

“Cancelo? You know that when he was 17 or 18, I was the one who started calling him to be a starter for Benfica. At that time he was a kid, I don’t think he was even 18. And so I talked to him a lot. I knew he was going to be Benfica’s future right-back . I said: "Maxi [Pereira] is going to end his career and he won’t have a chance with you. You’re going to be Benfica’s future right-back.

“But then, football life allows for other moments, he left Benfica and now there was the opportunity to get him. Saud Abdulhamid went to Roma, we had to get a right-back, I asked the president for Cancelo. I spoke to him, he accepted the project and I signed one of the best right-backs in the world. Not to mention that he is the best right-back in the world at the moment.

“What I told him was that he was coming to a great team, that he wouldn’t lack anything and that his family would be super happy in Saudi Arabia, because it’s a country that provides total security to anyone, and even more so to the children who study here. So much so that he once told me: "Mister, you were right, this is a paradise for our children." He’s also super happy and I’m happy.”

By @SeanGillen9