Al-Ittihad back on top as club mark 97 years of glory

Karim Benzema has helped Al-Ittihad to the top of the Saudi Pro League table for the 2024-25 season. (SPL)
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Updated 02 January 2025
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Al-Ittihad back on top as club mark 97 years of glory

  • Saudi Arabia’s oldest club head the Saudi Pro League table as they celebrate 97th birthday

DUBAI/LONDON: It is fitting that as Al-Ittihad celebrate their 97th anniversary this month, the Jeddah giants are sitting on top of the Saudi Pro League.

The past is impressive. The club was founded on Jan. 4, 1927, and is one of the oldest in Asia. Not only that, but Al-Ittihad are set to join the Club of Pioneers, a global network of historic teams headed by Sheffield FC, the oldest football club in the world that was set up in 1857.

“We are very proud to be the first Arabic country to join the Club of Pioneers on our 97th year anniversary and celebrating our great achievements as the first Saudi Football club. And we look forward to our 100 years and beyond,” Dania Al-Maeena, CEO of Al-Ittihad’s nonprofit organization, told Arab News.

Now they join the likes of Wrexham of Wales, Genoa of Italy and Royal Antwerp of Belgium to become the 32nd member.

The first silverware came all the way back in 1958 with the King’s Cup and Crown Prince’s Cup, starting to fill a trophy cabinet that has become much more packed over the decades.

Fans had to wait until 1982 to celebrate a league championship. Eight more have followed. The most recent came in 2023 when Al-Ittihad were very impressive on their way to lift the title once more and for the first time since 2009.

Any club with such domestic success want to challenge internationally, and the team in yellow and black have done just that. In 1999, fans celebrated the Asian Cup Winners Cup. The big prize, however, was always the AFC Champions League and in that competition, Ittihad have made history.

In 2004, the Red Sea club lost the first leg of the final at home, 3-1 to South Korea’s Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Heading into the return game, nobody gave the Saudi Arabians a chance. Yet, in perhaps the most stunning result in the history of Asian club football, Al-Ittihad shocked an expectant home crowd and the continent, by winning 5-0 to take the trophy.

If that was impressive, then so was the following year, as the club were head and shoulders above the rest. In those days, the defending champions joined the competition at the quarterfinal stage.

There was an 8-3 aggregate win over China’s Shandong Luneng and then a 7-0 thrashing of South Korea’s Busan I’Park in the semifinal. The final against 2003 champions Al-Ain of the UAE was a tougher task, but it ended in a 5-3 win over two legs. No team had previously successfully defended the Asian Champions League title.

At the time, the rest of the continent feared a dynasty being established. That did not happen but Al-Ittihad are one of Asia’s biggest and most popular clubs. Joining 50,000 fans at the King Abdullah Sports City is an unforgettable football experience.

None of this is to say that the best days are in the past. As the club enter their 97th year in existence, they are in a very healthy state indeed.

In 2023, the club ended a 14-year wait for a Saudi Pro League title, and though last season did not see a repeat performance, French coach Laurent Blanc has settled extremely well since joining in July.

He has stars including Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Moussa Diaby at his disposal. There is also impressive domestic talent in the form of Saleh Al-Shehri, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Hassan Kadesh and many others.

The future is looking bright. After ending 2024 with nine successive league wins, they are two points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League. There is still a long way to go but Al-Ittihad are fit for the journey.


Can Inzaghi and Al-Hilal go all the way?

Updated 03 July 2025
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Can Inzaghi and Al-Hilal go all the way?

  • Arab News looks at possible ways that Al-Hilal can upset the odds to reach and possibly win the FIFA Club World Cup final

RIYADH: Al-Hilal are the talk of the football world after their sensational 4-3 win over Manchester City in the round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Ahead of their quarterfinal against Brazil’s Fluminense on Friday, Arab News asked three experts on Saudi Arabia football how Al-Hilal can continue to upset the odds and potentially reach and win the final.

  • Roel Coumans - Former Saudi Arabia national team assistant, head coach of Abha, Al-Hazm, Al-Adalah

“If Al-Hilal are in any European competition then they would be in the top four and there is no doubt that when Fluminense look at the Hilal team, they will not be underestimating them.

“In football everything is possible and Hilal can go all the way. I always tell my players to dream big, this is what football is all about.

“But it is important that Hilal don’t look forward too much, the next match is always the important one. There is a chance that after City the players may underestimate Fluminense and that is not possible at this level.

“They should involve the Brazilian players who can tell them about Fluminense.

“The game will be totally different to the City game. In that, they were the underdog and you have to defend much more than against Fluminense.

“When I look at Inzaghi’s tactics, he is always trying to play in a compact 4-5-1 formation and he will ensure that the system is not too different.

“There is a danger in that South America football is more physical and that may be something that the players are not used to.

“But now there is a good vibe around Al-Hilal. If Al-Dawsari can return that will be great as he adds creativity.”

  • Paul Williams - Founder and host of The Asian Game podcast, football journalist

“Al-Hilal’s path to the Club World Cup final has certainly opened up after their stunning upset win over Manchester City. It was a landmark moment, not just for the club but for Saudi football.

“While the challenge on paper might look easier against Fluminense, it’s likely to be anything but.

“One has to consider the context and circumstances of the victory against Manchester City, which was achieved without three of their starting XI, who will all be absent again against Fluminense.

“Not to mention the physical and emotional toll that the 120 minutes in Orlando would have taken. But having slayed the Premier League giant, they’ll attack that game with a renewed sense of vigor.

“Should they get through, then a likely semifinal against Chelsea awaits, although one can never discount Palmeiras. But having beaten one Premier League giant already this tournament, facing Chelsea would hold no fears for them.

“And then it would likely be Real Madrid or PSG in the final, and having already gone toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the opening game, and even shading that game for large parts, that is another that would hold no fear for Al-Hilal.

“Of course, as fun as it is to speculate, it’s all still hypothetical and Al-Hilal cannot allow itself to think any further than Fluminense this week. Having dispensed of Inter Milan, they have shown they also should not be taken lightly.

“But after defeating the might of Manchester City, Al-Hilal will now believe anything is possible.”

  • John Duerden - Asia and Middle East football writer and analyst

“While it is premature to talk of the draw opening up for Al-Hilal, there is no doubt that the road to the final looks rockier on the other side.

“The biggest challenge may be coming back down to Earth after the win against Manchester City.

“Coach Inzaghi talked of how his team climbed Everest without oxygen against the European powerhouse, and while those words were perfect, the message has to now change.

“The summit is within sight but is still some distance away.

“Hilal are the talk of the football world, and that is a unique position for an Asian club to be in. Maybe now the pressure is off, the tournament will always be remembered as a success, whatever happens.

“Or maybe it will be hard, both physically (after 120 grueling minutes in the heat) and mentally, to recover from the last game.

“And, Fluminense will now be very wary, if they weren’t before. Inzaghi was happy to let City have most of the ball and City were happy to have it. Hilal were hugely impressive on the counter, but Fluminense are not likely to make the same mistakes that City did defensively.

“Korea’s Ulsan gave the Brazilian(s) many problems but couldn’t kill the game when they were ahead and eventually paid the price. Taking chances will be key.

“If Salem Al-Dawsari plays, then he could be the difference, though Hilal would love to have the physical presence of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

“A win means the last four and there is nobody to fear. If it is Chelsea in the semifinal then the London team are awkward opponents and able to pull off results when needed but they are a level below the elite of Europe.

“And that is Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern. Surely one of those will make the final.

“Hilal have impressed but would, rightly, be clear underdogs. Hilal are not expected to win but they have shown that they are capable of doing so.

“First though, that cliche has to be repeated all around the training ground over the next day or two ‘one game at a time.’”


Saudi Arabia’s great football experiment is paying off

Updated 01 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s great football experiment is paying off

  • The Club World Cup was the first chance for the country to make a global statement about growth of its domestic game

MANCHESTER, England: The great Saudi Arabian football experiment is on full show at the Club World Cup.

The Kingdom, which is spending billions of dollars to become a major player in the world’s most popular sport, scored a big win on the field Monday when Al-Hilal beat Premier League giants Manchester City 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.

It was a seismic result in football terms; possibly the biggest upset of the tournament and precisely the type of statement Saudi Arabia has wanted to make since embarking on a project that will ultimately see it stage the World Cup in 2034.

“We wanted to show that Al-Hilal has the talent, the power to be here,” said defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who was among a slew of star players paid fortunes to leave Europe’s top clubs for the Saudi Pro League in recent years.

Superstar signings and ones that got away

The biggest of them all was Cristiano Ronaldo, who completed one of the most stunning moves in football history when joining Al-Nassr for a reported salary of up to $200 million a year in 2022. That deal prompted a spectacular recruitment drive by Saudi teams — backed by the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund — and in came superstars like Neymar and Karim Benzema, while audacious attempts were made to sign Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

Confirmation that Saudi Arabia had won the right to host the World Cup came in December. On the field, the Club World Cup was the first chance for the country to make a global statement about the growth of its domestic game, which is largely unheralded outside of Asia.

It is likely why Al-Hilal — Saudi Arabia’s most successful team — were so eager to make another marquee signing before the tournament began and tried, but failed, to lure Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

They pulled off a coup by hiring coach Simone Inzaghi. The Italian arrived after leading Inter Milan to a second Champions League final in three seasons and he is already making a mark with his new team after drawing 1-1 against Real Madrid in the group stage and then beating City.

“We had to do something extraordinary because we knew how good Manchester City are, we knew we had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen, and we were great,” Inzaghi said.

Saudi  football has faced doubts

The broader picture is what Al-Hilal’s run says about the standard of football in Saudi Arabia, which has been dismissed by some as a cash grab for players, who can earn far more than if they’d remained in Europe.

“Let’s see now if they will criticize us after these games,” said midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who joined Al-Hilal from Italian team Lazio. “It’s not like how they are speaking about the league.”

Despite recruiting so many players from Europe’s top clubs — including Champions League winners N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino — it is difficult to judge the quality of the Saudi league.

To put Al-Hilal’s run into context: While they may have won a record 19 league titles and four Asian championships, they are not the Saudi Arabia’s reigning national champion, having been beaten to the title by Benzema’s Al-Ittihad last season.

Another Saudi team, Al-Ahli, who count former Liverpool forward Firmino and ex-Manchester City winger Mahrez among their players, won the Asian Champions League this year.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, is yet to win the title in three attempts with Al-Nassr — pointing to the depth of strength in the league.

Al-Hilal’s performances have also come despite releasing Brazil great Neymar in January and with leading scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic having played no part so far because of injury.

Can Al Hilal win the Club World Cup?

The question now is how far Al-Hilal can go.

Next up is Brazil’s Fluminense in the quarterfinals in Orlando on Friday.

City’s exit — along with Inter Milan’s defeat to Fluminense — has opened up that side of the draw, which also features Palmeiras and Chelsea.

On paper it looks like the favorable side of the draw, with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain on the other side. But the success of Brazilian teams has been another theme of the tournament and Al-Hilal will have to beat at least one more if they are to advance to the final.

Inzaghi, however, is used to overachieving. His two Champions League finals with Inter Milan came despite having an aging team and relying on savvy deals in the transfer market to pick up free agents and veteran players.

Inter’s victory against Barcelona in the semifinals of this year’s competition was one of the all-time classic contests — winning 7-6 on aggregate.

Al-Hilal’s impressive run has come after Inzaghi spent just one week training with the team before the tournament.

Even if they are eliminated in the next round, a quarterfinals appearance would represent an outstanding campaign for a team that was not expected to compete for the title.

Saudi Arabia’s investment in sport is undoubtedly paying off and Al-Hilal’s run is succeeding in raising the profile of its soccer league.


Al-Hilal ‘climb Mount Everest’ and shock world with stunning win over Manchester City at Club World Cup

Updated 01 July 2025
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Al-Hilal ‘climb Mount Everest’ and shock world with stunning win over Manchester City at Club World Cup

  • Epic 4-3 win in Orlando prompts widespread acclaim for Simone Inzaghi’s tactics and players’ never-say-die attitude

DUBAI: Al-Hilal proved once again that few clubs in Asia, or even the world, are capable of hitting seemingly unreachable heights after a stunning 4-3 win against Manchester City in the round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Simone Inzaghi’s team trailed at half-time in Orlando to Bernardo Silva’s opener, but stormed back after the break to take the lead with strikes from Brazilians Marco Leonardo (46 minutes) and Malcolm (52).

Erling Haaland leveled the score minutes later to ensure the match went into extra time. Then Kalidou Koulibaly’s 94th-minute third for Hilal was cancelled by substitute Phil Foden 10 minutes later.

The stage was set for Leonardo to score an emotional winner with 8 minutes left on the clock.

In the aftermath of the victory, Al-Hilal’s official account on X posted a video clip of the players celebrating in the dressing room with club President Fahad bin Nafel.

 

 

Al Jazeera commented that “Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal have sent English giants Manchester City crashing out of the Club World Cup, snatching a shock 4-3 victory in extra time in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.”

For “all City’s depth, Al-Hilal had a deep well of spirit to draw upon,” Al Jazeera added, highlighting the Riyadh club’s powers of recovery against one of the world’s best teams.

The BBC reported that the former Premier League champions had been “stunned in extra time by Saudi Arabia side Al-Hilal in an incredible seven-goal thriller.” And that Leonardo had delivered a “monumental result for the 2021 AFC Champions League winners.”

In his match report for the UK’s The Guardian newspaper, Jamie Jackson highlighted the job the new Hilal coach has done in such a short period and in challenging circumstances.

“Inzaghi took over four days after Inter’s 5-0 Champions League thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain,” the report said.

“He left an Italian giant for a Saudi one but before taking on Real Madrid in the group opener had only two weeks to implement his ideas, a central plank of which is the favored five-man backline he fielded here.

He added that the 1-1 draw against “the European aristocrats in his first game was an eye-catching calling card” but here Inzaghi was without his captain, Salem Al-Dawsari, and No. 9, Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Inzaghi himself said the key to the result was “the players, the heart they put on the pitch.”

“Tonight we had to do something extraordinary because we knew how good Manchester City are,” the Italian coach said. “We knew we had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and we were great.”

 

 

“We played with a strong determination and we are really feeling the game. They deserved it,” Inzaghi added. “They fought for every ball and it gives satisfaction to the family of Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia and the fans here with us.”

The former Inter Milan coach’s tactics were lauded by fans and pundits on social media.

On X, football analyst Roger Bonet wrote: “Hats off to Simone Inzaghi again. Only a few weeks of work, yet Al-Hilal looks sharp and confident.”

One X account, @sportsdokitor, posted that “Simeone Inzaghi is one of the best managers in the world and he’s proving it again at Al-Hilal,” while another was even more effusive with praise.

@ChelseaWay_  posted: “I genuinely don’t think (I’ve) ever seen a manager put his stamp on a team as quick as Simone Inzaghi did with Al-Hilal. This is (genuinely) ridiculous.

“I am watching them this tournament, and their patterns of play, movements, pressing structure, link up in small spaces.”

Meanwhile Al-Hilal match winner Leonardo received praise across the board for his return to form after a difficult recent period at the club.

“I’ve had a difficult time in the last two months. My mother spent 70 days in the ICU,” he said at the final whistle. “Today, she’s fine, thank God. When I scored those two goals, I thought of her. She was able to watch the match.”

 

 

Arab football fans and accounts hailed the result and Al-Hilal’s performances at the Club World Cup.

Bilal Haddad (@bilalhd91), with 4.1 million followers on Instagram, posted an Arabic-language video in which he disbelievingly says “am I dreaming or is this real.”

Also on Instagram, Arab football fan @fayadzinho did not hold back his joy.

“The Saudi league just embarrassed the Premier League, yes Al-Hilal have done it. I’ve been waiting for this day for more than 11 years,” he said in an emotional video clip.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Fayad (@fayadzinho)

 

Even Hilal’s greatest rivals Al-Nassr joined in.

“Al-Hilal is demonstrating to the world the strength and quality of the Saudi Pro League,” @TheNassrZone, with almost 69,000 followers, posted on X.

“Their performance reflects the league’s rising prominence and commitment to excellence. A well-deserved salute to them for elevating Saudi football even more on the international stage.”


Al-Hilal oust Manchester City from Club World Cup in extra time

Updated 01 July 2025
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Al-Hilal oust Manchester City from Club World Cup in extra time

Marcos Leonardo scored his second goal of the match in the 112th minute to give Al-Hilal a 4-3 upset victory over Manchester City on Monday night in Orlando, sending the Saudi Arabian side into the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup.
Malcom and Kalidou Koulibaly also scored for Al-Hilal, who got 10 saves from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Al-Halil will meet Fluminense on Friday at Orlando. The Brazilian side beat Inter Milan 2-0 earlier Monday.
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden were the goal-scorers for Manchester City.
The decisive goal came after Sergej Milinkovic’s header was stopped by Ederson for the Manchester City goalie’s second and final save of the match.
The ball then hit off Leonardo to the left front of the goal line, and he knocked the ball into the open net with his right foot to give Al-Hilal the lead.
Koulibaly scored on a header to give Al-Hilal a 3-2 lead in the fourth minute of extra time.
Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves took a corner kick, and Koulibaly leaped and flicked the ball to the left of Ederson.
Manchester City had two strong chances late in the second half of regulation time.
Off a corner kick in the 84th minute, Manuel Akanji sent a header that hit off the right goalpost. Haaland was there for a potential tap-in, but Al-Hilal’s Ali Lajami cleared the ball before it crossed the line.
One minute later, Ruben Dias delivered a hard fight-footed blast from outside the box that Bounou knocked over the crossbar with his right hand.
Al-Hilal received goals from Leonardo and Malcom in the first seven minutes of the second half to turn a one-goal halftime deficit into a 2-1 lead.
It took just 42 seconds into the half for Al-Hilal to get the equalizer.
City goalkeeper Ederson stopped a left-footed shot from Nasser Al Dawsari, and a rebound attempt by Malcom was blocked by a defender. The ball went directly to Leonardo, who easily headed it into the net.
Al-Hilal moved ahead in the 52nd minute on a breakaway. Former City player Joao Cancelo cleared the ball ahead from deep in his own end up to Malcom, who dribbled in and drilled a left-footed shot past Ederson and inside the far post to give Al-Hilal a 2-1 lead.
Just three minutes later, Manchester City tied the match off a corner kick. Haaland attempted a header that barely glanced off him, but the ensuing scramble led to the ball coming back his way, and Haaland sent a left-footed shot through Bounou’s legs.
Manchester City dominated the first half and had a 7-0 edge in shots on target while holding the 1-0 halftime lead.
Silva’s goal in the ninth minute was controversial as the ball hit off the right biceps of teammate Rayan Ait-Nouri. An ensuing pass saw the ball deflected, and it caromed in the direction of Silva, who sent a left-footed shot into the left corner of the net.
Al-Hilal players vehemently argued to no avail as the goal stood up.
Bounou repeatedly made big saves to keep Al-Hilal in the game. He was sprawled on the ground when he made a save with his left hand on Savinho in the 24th minute, and he thwarted Josko Gvardiol’s header six minutes later.
 


‘I take full responsibility’: Renard disappointed after Saudi exit from CONCACAF Gold Cup

Herve Renard has accepted responsibility for Saudi Arabia’s 2-0 loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. (AN photo)
Updated 29 June 2025
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‘I take full responsibility’: Renard disappointed after Saudi exit from CONCACAF Gold Cup

  • Green Falcons 2-0 loss to Mexico in Arizona saw side leave tournament at quarterfinal stage

JEDDAH: Saudi coach Herve Renard expressed his disappointment and accepted the blame after his team’s 2-0 loss to Mexico, which saw them exit the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the quarterfinals.

“We did not perform at the (right) level, and the Mexican team deserved to win,” Renard said during the press conference following the match held in Arizona on Sunday morning.

“Sometimes the coach makes wrong decisions, and that’s part of football. I take full responsibility for today’s loss.”

He added: “We have to work on developing the offensive side of the national team, and we have benefited from our interactions with other teams during the tournament.

“We were lucky that Mexico did not play at 100 percent. I asked the players to put pressure on their defense, but we did not do it well and kept the ball.”

The French coach said that his time with the players was fruitful in terms of gaining experience, but admitted that the team failed to perform at its best during the crucial match. Focus will now shift to preparing well for the World Cup playoffs, Renard said.