Al Hilal Stun Giants and Shine at Club World Cup
However, after an unexpected run to the last eight, they have left their mark on the global stage.
Simone Inzaghi’s team beat Manchester City 4-3 in the round of 16, delivering the biggest upset of the tournament and one of the competition’s most thrilling games.
Al Hilal began their campaign with a draw against Spanish giants Real Madrid, and they came through the group stage unbeaten with a draw against Champions League regulars Salzburg and a 2-0 win over six-time CONCACAF Champions Cup winners Pachuca of Mexico.
With a squad that mixes local Saudi talent with international recruits, the newly appointed Inzaghi was able to take the team to the brink of the last four.
For former Napoli defender and Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly, one of the expensively recruited foreign players, the performances at the first 32-team Club World Cup were a message that the Saudi league is not just a lucrative retirement home for European and South American players.
“We showed that the teams from Saudi Arabia 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,” he told reporters.
“We showed it at this World Cup, and every team that played against us can see that we have talent. We want to improve the league; we have improved a lot in two years,” he added.
Koulibaly was one of the early recruits to the Saudi Pro League, after leaving Premier League team Chelsea to join the Riyadh club, and he said he has witnessed rapid growth in the league.
“I was there at the beginning, and I see today it is very tough. We saw it last year, and 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 and want to show all the world that football is improving,” he said.
Inzaghi, who left Inter Milan and took charge of the team shortly before the tournament began, says he has been impressed with what he has seen from his players so far.
“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, and the pleasure with which they work every day. Now we are looking forward to a great season,” he said.
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