GCC Club Champions Cup Titles

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, which prompted Mr. Abdul Rahman bin Saeed to resign from the presidency of the Youth Club in that year, and many left with him, including a number of prominent players. The opportunity was ripe for the establishment of a new club at the first-class level to serve Saudi sports, and this was already done when a new club was established on 15 October 1957 in Riyadh. The club's name lasted for only one year before it was changed to its current name on 3 December 1958 by King Saud. He changed the name after he attended a tournament that was contested between the Olympic Club, Al Shabab, Al Riyadh and Al-Kawkab clubs. As soon as the club's establishment, Al-Hilal enjoyed not only grassroots support but also royal attention. 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. With the success, a number of players and coaches from outside Saudi Arabia joined the club in the 1970s, including Brazilian legend Rivellino, who played for the club, and Mario Zagallo, who coached the club in 1978–79.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over the artificial turf of the away stadium in Kuwait City, casting long shadows against the night sky. The air was thick with humidity and the chanting of thousands of Qadsia supporters, a sea of red and white that seemed to swallow the pitch. Al Hilal's captain tightened his gloves, looking at the scoreboard where the clock ticked down the final minutes. One goal away from another regional crown, the silence in the blue half of the stadium was palpable, broken only by the heavy thud of boots on grass as they prepared for the decisive penalty that would seal their destiny.

Reader's Guide

In domestic competitions, Al-Hilal are the most successful Saudi club, having won a record 21 league titles, along with a record 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 have made multiple appearances in the FIFA Club World Cup and were runners-up in the 2022 edition, 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. Al-Hilal has a market value of €242.5 million as of 2024, the highest in Saudi Arabia.

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 was originally named the Olympic Club before being renamed Al-Hilal by King Saud on 3 December 1958.
• 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.
• Brazilian legend Rivellino played for Al-Hilal in the 1970s, while fellow legend Mario Zagallo coached the club in 1978–79.