AFC Player of the Year

Lore & Background

Al-Hilal is the most successful Saudi club domestically, with a record 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, including 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.

In Their Own Story

The stadium lights hummed with tension as the ceremony began in Doha. Yasser stood quietly, his blue jersey pressed and ready, watching the envelope open. When the name was called, the roar from the Saudi section wasn't just applause; it was a release of years of ambition. He lifted the trophy high, the gold glinting under the floodlights, knowing he carried the weight of every fan who ever wore that number.

Reader's Guide

The club was established on 15 October 1957 in Riyadh. Its name was changed to Al-Hilal on 3 December 1958 by King Saud. Al-Hilal won its first King's Cup in 1961, and again in 1964. The club were the inaugural winners of the Saudi Premier League in 1976–77. In the 1980s, the club won four league titles and four King's Cup titles. In the 1990s, Al-Hilal won its first Asian Club Championship in 1991, the Asian Cup Winners' Cup and Asian Super Cup in 1997, the Asian Club Championship again in 1999–2000, and the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 2002. In the 2000s, Al-Hilal won league titles in 2004–05, 2007–08, 2009–10, and 2010–11. The 2007–08 league title was clinched with a 1–0 win over Al-Ittihad on the final matchday, with a goal by Yasser Al-Qahtani.

Did You Know?

• Al-Hilal is one of three teams to have participated in every season of the Saudi Pro League since its establishment in 1976.
• The club's name 'Al-Hilal' is Arabic for 'the crescent moon'.
• Al-Hilal has a market value of €242.5 million as of 2024, the highest in Saudi Arabia.
• Brazilian legends Mario Zagallo and Rivellino played for Al-Hilal in the 1970s.