Senegal star Sadio Mane says it is a "dream" to play in a forward line alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman and Joao Felix - and backed Al Nassr's new signings to help end their six-year wait for major silverware.
Mane, 33, is entering his third year with the Riyadh giants and believes their freshly enhanced squad gives him his best chance yet of adding to his vast personal collection of medals.
Despite boasting Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, the league's perennial top scorer, Al Nassr have failed to launch a sustained title challenge in either of the past two campaigns.
In 2023/24, they were blown away by city rivals Al Hilal, while last season they drifted to a third-place finish behind Hilal and eventual champions Al Ittihad.
Their response was to delve back into the European market for two illustrious names - Coman, a serial winner in France, Italy and Germany, and Felix, the gifted 2019 Golden Boy recipient looking for a reboot after a failed spell with Premier League side Chelsea.
That means a supercharged all-star forward line of two-time African Player of the Year Mane, Ronaldo, Coman and Felix leading the charge as Al Nassr look to end a trophy drought now stretching back to 2019.
They did win the domestic Super Cup in 2020 and the lightly regarded Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, but the true glory of an SPL title, King's Cup crown or an Asian title have proved beyond their grasp.
"First of all, I would say about our target that it is really normal to dream big because Al Nassr is one of the best teams in the league," said Mane, who has scored 39 goals in 100 games since moving to the kingdom from Bayern Munich in 2023. "So, the target [to win the title] we know it, so you don't need to talk about it.
"Having players like Kingsley [Coman] and Joao [Felix] - it is a dream for us to get them because we need them.
"And we are really happy to have them, and for sure we have to expect a lot, [expectation will come] from the fans and from the club, but I have no doubt about it – they will deliver for us and for sure it is going to be a really exciting season for all of us."
Al Nassr kicked off their 2025/26 season in style when they thrashed Al Taawoun 5-0 on the opening day with Mane playing on the left side of the attack.
From there he had a great view as all three of his fellow forwards got on the scoresheet. Felix's debut could not have gone much better with the Portugal star grabbing a stunning hat-trick.
Mane himself was on target, marking a century of games in Saudi Arabia with a goal, as Nassr followed up with a 2-0 win over Al Kholood on Sunday. Next up is a home game against Tajikistan's FC Istiklol in the AFC Champions League 2 on Wednesday night.
So far, so good, then for new boss Jorge Jesus, a somewhat controversial appointment given his links to rivals Al Hilal, who sacked him towards the end of last season.
The 71-year-old veteran tactician is, however, a former double winner in Saudi football – in 2023/24 with Hilal – and Mane has been impressed by what he has seen so far.
"From far away you can see how he is, even if you are not with him," explained the 113-cap Senegal international.
"He is someone with a winning mentality and he demands a lot from his players, which is completely normal, and he is pushing, pushing, pushing everybody until his limits.
"And he is a great manager. You can see that he is really, really good, so it is going to be an exciting season."
At this late stage in his career, family man Mane admits he is pleased to have settled in a Muslim country, having spent much of his life traversing Europe's leading competitions.
Spells in France, Austria, England and Germany yielded numerous titles and individual accolades, while in 2022 he was also presented with the Socrates Award for his extensive charitable work back home in Senegal.
Success on the pitch would certainly enrich this latest chapter in his career, but importantly, he is settled and thriving in his personal life.
"I am here for a third season," said Mane, who rebuffed interest from Premier League and Turkish clubs this summer.
"I have been to England, Germany, France, all of those countries, I can say so far. For me, Saudi life is the best for me. There is no doubt about it.
"I am happy here, everything is going well. Alhamdulillah, I am happy. Riyadh is one of the best cities. My family as well, and not only me, I think all of the players are enjoying it as well."
