Al Hilal exit Club World Cup but earn global respect

July 5, 2025
AL HILAL

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal saw their Club World Cup journey end in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 defeat to Fluminense, bringing the curtain down on a campaign that turned heads around the world.

Simone Inzaghi’s side produced the tournament’s biggest shock when they beat Manchester City 4-3 in a dramatic round-of-16 clash.

They had earlier emerged unbeaten from a tough group, drawing with Real Madrid and Salzburg and defeating Mexico’s Pachuca 2-0.

With a mix of local talent and high-profile foreign signings, Al Hilal showed they are far more than a collection of aging stars chasing lucrative contracts.

Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, one of the Saudi Pro League’s marquee recruits, insisted: “We showed that the teams from Saudi are very strong, very powerful and we have a lot of good players. Everyone thinks that when we went there we only went for the financial argument but we showed that we are working over there.”

Koulibaly also highlighted how quickly the league has grown: “I was there at the beginning and I see today it is very tough. Next year it will be tougher as more players are coming. The Saudi league is taking a nice place in the football world and we are happy because we are part of a very nice project.”

Inzaghi, who arrived from Inter Milan shortly before the tournament, praised his squad’s character: “Clearly, for me and my staff, it was very important to be able to play in this World Cup. We realised what kind of team we have, the quality of our players, the pleasure with which they work every day. Now we are looking forward to a great season.”

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