Al Hilal vs Al Nassr

Lore & Background

Al-Hilal was established on 15 October 1957 in Riyadh, originally under a different name that lasted one year before being changed to Al-Hilal on 3 December 1958 by King Saud. The club won its first King's Cup in 1961, followed by another in 1964. In the 1970s, Brazilian legends Mario Zagallo and Rivellino joined the club. The club won the inaugural Saudi Premier League in 1976–77 and again in 1978–79. In the 1980s, key players included Saleh Al-Nu'eimeh, Yousuf Al-Thunayan, and Sami Al-Jaber. Al-Hilal won four league titles and four King's Cups in that decade. The club was runners-up in the Asian Club Championship in 1986 and 1987. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Al-Hilal won 23 titles, including 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 rivalry with Al-Ittihad intensified in the 2000s, with Al-Hilal winning league titles in 2004–05, 2007–08, 2009–10, and 2010–11. The 2007–08 season saw Al-Hilal win the league on the final matchday at Al-Ittihad's home stadium with a 1–0 victory, clinching a double with the Crown Prince Cup. Under Eric Gerets in 2009–10, 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 packed stadium as the clock ticked toward kickoff. Blue scarves waved in unison against a sea of yellow, the air thick with chants echoing off the concrete stands. A veteran midfielder from Al Hilal tightened his laces, knowing this match would be etched into memory books for years to come.

Reader's Guide

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: 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, the club was awarded Greatest Asian Club of the 20th Century by the IFFHS. As of 2024, Al-Hilal has a market value of €242.5 million, the highest in Saudi Arabia.

Did You Know?

• Al-Hilal was originally founded under a different name on 15 October 1957, and was renamed to Al-Hilal by King Saud on 3 December 1958.
• The club won the inaugural Saudi Premier League in the 1976–77 season.
• Al-Hilal is the first Asian club from outside the host nation to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final, doing so in 2022.
• Brazilian legends Mario Zagallo and Rivellino played for Al-Hilal in the 1970s.