The Crescent Moon

Lore & Background

The idea of establishing the club began when the ranks of the Youth Club witnessed in 1957 a serious division among its leaders, prompting Abdul Rahman bin Saeed to resign from the presidency of the Youth Club, and many left with him. A new club was established on 16 October 1957 in Riyadh. The club's original name lasted for only one year before it was changed to its current name on 3 December 1957 by King Saud. After spending their formative years building a squad, the club made their first mark by lifting the King's Cup trophy in 1961. Al-Hilal won the King's Cup again in 1964, with a penalty shootout victory over Al Ittihad. The club also won the Crown Prince Cup in 1963–64. The club were the inaugural winners when the Saudi Premier League came into existence in the 1976–77 season. Al Hilal also won the league title in 1978–79. In the 1970s, Brazilian legend Rivellino joined the club as a player, while Mario Zagallo managed the team in 1978–1979. In the 1980s, the club featured Saudi players such as Saleh Al-Nu'eimeh and Yousuf Al-Thunayan, winning four league titles and four King's Cup titles. Al Hilal were runners-up in the Asian Club Championship in 1986 and 1987. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the club achieved continental dominance, winning the Asian Club Championship in 1991 and 1999–2000, the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 1997 and 2002, and the Asian Super Cup in 1997 and 2000. The club also won 23 domestic titles during this period. In the 2000s, the rivalry with Al Ittihad intensified, with Al Hilal winning league titles in 2004–05, 2007–08, 2009–10, and 2010–11. The 2007–08 season saw Al Hilal clinch the league title in Jeddah against Al Ittihad with a 1–0 victory, under manager Cosmin Olăroiu. In 2009–10, under Eric Gerets, Al Hilal won the league with three games to spare and the Crown Prince Cup.

In Their Own Story

The air in Riyadh is thick with anticipation as the sun begins to dip below the horizon. Inside the stadium, a sea of green and white waves rises from the stands, a unified roar that shakes the very foundations of the structure. The floodlights flicker on, casting long shadows across the pristine grass where legends once danced. A young boy in his father's arms grips a scarf tightly, eyes wide as the team emerges from the tunnel, ready to defend their home turf under the watchful gaze of the crescent.

Reader's Guide

Al-Hilal is a multi-sports club based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Its football team plays in the Saudi Pro League. The club has a market value of €242.5 million as of 2024, the highest in Saudi Arabia. In domestic competitions, Al-Hilal holds records for 21 league titles, 13 Crown Prince Cup titles, seven Saudi Federation Cup titles, 10 King's Cup titles, five Saudi Super Cups, and the Saudi Founder's Cup. In continental competitions, the club has won a record eight AFC trophies: four AFC Champions League titles (1991, 2000, 2019, 2021), two Asian Cup Winners' Cups (1997, 2002), and two Asian Super Cups (1997, 2000). Internationally, Al-Hilal were runners-up in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the first Asian club from outside the host nation to reach the final. In September 2009, Al-Hilal was awarded Greatest Asian Club of the 20th Century by the IFFHS.

Did You Know?

• Al-Hilal was founded on 16 October 1957, but originally had a different name for one year before being renamed by King Saud on 3 December 1957.
• The club's name 'Al-Hilal' is Arabic for 'the crescent moon'.
• Al-Hilal is one of three teams to have participated in every season of the Saudi Pro League since its establishment in 1976.
• Brazilian legend Rivellino played for Al-Hilal in the 1970s, while Mario Zagallo managed the club during the 1978–1979 season.
• Al-Hilal were runners-up in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup, the first Asian club from outside the host nation to reach the final.