2013 King Cup Final vs Al Nassr

Lore & Background

The club was established on 15 October 1957 in Riyadh. Its name lasted for only one year before it was changed to its current name on 3 December 1958 by King Saud. Al-Hilal won the King's Cup trophy in 1961 and again in 1964, with a penalty shootout victory over Al Ittihad. The club also won the Crown Prince Cup in 1963–64. Al-Hilal were the inaugural winners of the Saudi Premier League in the 1976–77 season and also won the league title in 1978–79. In the 1980s, the club won four league titles and four King's Cup titles. Al-Hilal won their first Asian title, the Asian Club Championship, in 1991. They won the Asian Cup Winners Cup and Asian Super Cup in 1997, the Asian Club Championship again in 1999–2000, and the Asian Super Cup in 2000, and the Asian Cup Winners Cup in 2002. In the 2007–08 season, Al-Hilal won the league title on the final matchday in Jeddah against Al-Ittihad, with a 1–0 victory, and also won the Crown Prince Cup that season. Under manager Eric Gerets in the 2009–10 season, Al-Hilal won the league with three games to spare and also won the Crown Prince Cup.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium as the clock ticked past ninety minutes. Sweat dripped from browlines, and lungs burned with exhaustion after extra time ended level. The roar of the crowd shifted into a nervous hush when the penalty spot was marked. Every kick echoed like thunder against the night sky, until the final save or strike sealed the destiny of another trophy for the Blue.

Reader's Guide

Al-Hilal's football team competes in the Saudi Pro League. The club has won a record 21 league titles, 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 were runners-up in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the first Asian club from outside the host nation to reach the final.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Al-Hilal' is Arabic for 'the crescent moon'.
• Al-Hilal was awarded Greatest Asian Club of the 20th Century by the IFFHS in September 2009.
• 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.