Talks with Messi, Mbappe and Kane - Who are Saudi giants Al-Hilal?

Jacque Talbot

Updated: 22 Jul 2023 13:10 BST
3 min read

Kalidou Koulibaly, Al-Hilal — © Al-Hilal

Al-Hilal have been making waves across Europe recently.

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The Saudi club are the most decorated in Asia, having won 66 titles. There was a time when they plucked some of the mid-table players across Europe’s top five leagues, but now they are looking to the elite stars of the game.

Now the Saudi government wants to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe for Al-Hilal. They have also been linked with Harry Kane, who’s in his final year at Tottenham.

While the side tried to sign Lionel Messi before he made his way to Inter Miami. Mbappe could be subject of a huge transfer to the club. The Athletic say that PSG will receive an offer that would obliterate the world transfer record they set when signing Neymar from Barcelona in 2017.

The links have always been to Real Madrid for Mbappe, but now that is set to change. But who are Al-Hilal?

This window, the Saudi club have signed Kalidou Koulibaly, Rúben Neves, and Sergej Milinković-Savić.

Al-Hilal, a football club that was established 65 years ago, made significant signings in 2019, bringing in notable players such as Bafetimbi Gomis, Andre Carrillo, and Sebastian Giovinco. These players were part of a team managed by Jorge Jesus.

Al-Hilal are one of the clubs who want to sign Kylian Mbappé this summer. 🇸🇦

Representatives of the Saudi club have been in contact with PSG. 👀

[via @SkyKaveh]. pic.twitter.com/jbl5XgUHur
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) July 22, 2023

Who are Al Hilal?

Currently, Al Hilal plays their home games at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. The stadium was constructed in 1987 and has a capacity of 67,000 supporters. Sometimes home games are held at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, which is one of the oldest football grounds in Saudi Arabia, built-in 1969.

The club boasts a long-standing rivalry with Al-Ittihad. Since the inception of the national competition, Al Hilal and Al-Ittihad have been considered representatives of the two biggest cities in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh and Jeddah, respectively. Over the years, Al Hilal has achieved significant success in the Asian Club Championship, winning it four times in 1991, 1999–2000, 2019, and 2021. On the other hand, Al-Ittihad has won the AFC Champions League twice in a row, in 2004 and 2005.

In the Saudi El Clasico, Al Hilal holds the upper hand with 62 victories, while Al-Ittihad has emerged victorious 50 times, and the two sides have drawn 35 times. As of 2023, the most significant victory in this rivalry occurred in the 2009–10 season when Al Hilal defeated Al-Ittihad with an impressive 5–0 scoreline.