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New York Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal stunned Man City in Club World Cup – ex-Premier League stars, kick-off protest and cost of exit
Al Hilal eliminated from Manchester City from the Club World in a landmark victory for the Saudi Arabian team, winning a remarkable last-16 game 4-3 in extra time to cap a day of upsets in the tournament. The Saudi side have shopped significantly for European stars since the state's Public Investment Fund took control of four teams in the Saudi Pro League as part of its global sports push in 2023. Advertisement Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034 and the sports investment arm of PIF invested a reported $1bn in DAZN, the broadcaster who bought the rights to the Club World Cup for the same amount from FIFA, which in turn has offered an overall prize pot of $1bn for this competition. Simone Inzaghi's Al Hilal have now earned a further $13.7m of that and will be able to earn more when they face Fluminense back at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando in a quarter-final on Friday. The game evoked the chaotic Champions League semi-finals contested when Inzaghi was at Inter towards the end of the domestic season with drama and quality laced throughout. Al Hilal were furious about City's opening goal and at first refused to kick off after the ball appeared to strike the right arm of Rayan Ait-Nouri and then the upper left arm of Ilkay Gundogan before it was bundled in by Bernardo Silva. Both players appeared to have their arms in a natural position and neither moved it towards the ball but the protests meant it was almost four minutes before the game resumed, with referee Jesus Valenzuela publicly confirming his decision over the stadium PA. If that was dramatic, the second-half was manic with Marcos Leonardo equalising 41 seconds into the second half after a brilliant run by Malcom who then put the team from Saudi Arabia 2-1 up on 52 minutes, running through from halfway after a superb Joao Cancelo throughball from a Man City corner. Erling Haaland equalised with the third goal of the first ten minutes of the second half and Malcom was then awarded a penalty only to be flagged offside. Mohamed Kanno missed a great chance to win it for Al Hilal before substitute Ali Lajami acrobatically cleared Haaland's 84th minute header off the line to send the game to extra time. It was Pep Guardiola's turn to run on to the pitch fume at referee Valenzuela after he blew for full time in regular time despite Jeremy Doku being hacked down driving a dangerous attack. Guardiola had barely calmed down when Kalidou Koulibaly headed in a corner from another former Premier League player Ruben Neves but substitute Phil Foden levelled the game up again at 3-3 at the end of the first half of stoppage time. Ederson produced a brilliant reflex save to keep out a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic header but the ball fell to Leonardo, who bundled in the winner in the 112th minute. Advertisement The win means Manchester City miss out on that $13.7m (about £9.8m), which instead goes to Al Hilal, leaving Guardiola's side collecting an estimated $51.7m from the tournament. Here The Athletic's Jordan Campbell, Mark Carey and Sam Lee analyse a remarkable game. City's money men had budgeted for a quarter-final appearance at the Club World Cup so in a financial sense their surprise elimination at the last-16 stage means they have fallen short of expectations. On a football side it is a reality check for a team that has already taken big strides forward after the 2024-25 season's previous struggles. It is still the case that there is a fresh atmosphere around the club thanks to the new signings and backroom staff changes, but those factors had seemed to be propelling them towards a serious run at the Club World Cup crown and the finances that come with it, which now will not be happening. After beating Juventus 5-2 and the first half against Al Hilal they had been warming up very nicely, but suddenly they find themselves out. With six weeks to go until the Premier League season starts, the early finish does allow the players a better chance of resting up and training properly before the big kick-off. In truth that is probably going to be a blessing in disguise but they would have been hoping to win this tournament. Sam Lee It is hard to gauge the significance of matches at this tournament, but this has to be seen as an enormous result and occasion for Al-Hilal, for Saudi Arabian football and for Asian football, not to mention a significant boost to the Club World Cup as a competition. Nobody should imagine that this was Manchester City at the peak of their powers, coming off the back of their worst campaign in years and in a peculiar condition fitness-wise between one season, but Al-Hilal were excellent, producing a disciplined, incisive counter-attacking display that will have delighted their new coach Simone Inzaghi. To have a club from the Middle East in the quarter-finals, as well as two from Brazil, is an extremely positive development. Al-Hilal have certainly been one of the most impressive teams at the tournament, in which they are still unbeaten. Beyond that, it was an enthralling game of the type the tournament needs. Coming on the back of Fluminense's victory over Internazionale, this felt like a positive day for the tournament — with the focus on the on-pitch action rather than heat, storms and empty seats. Oliver Kay Manchester City should not have been surprised of what was to come when Neves prepared himself to whip in a corner at the start of extra time. The Portuguese international spent years at Wolverhampton Wanderers and City will have had multiple reminders of the technical quality he possesses from dead-ball situations. The player on the end of Neves's dangerous delivery? Former Chelsea man Koulibaly, who remains an imposing figure from set plays when making the march upfield from centre-back. Advertisement Both Neves and Koulibaly made the move from the Premier League to the Saudi Pro League in the summer of 2023 when Al Hilal went all in on their spending spree, with the pair being mainstays of the side ever since. Neves infamously admitted that finances were at the heart of his decision, but he was also keen to build the brand in Saudi Arabia. 'Of course one of the things is the money,' Neves said in 2023. 'Of course, you cannot hide that. But when we see the project and I know a lot of people think we say this because just to say it, but it's not true.' With the performances that both players put in against City — particularly Neves as a central centre-back with Simone Inzaghi's back five — there is little doubt that their quality remains as high as ever, with their link-up for Al Hilal's third goal being a timely reminder to Pep Guardiola. Mark Carey The referee Jesus Valenzuela pointed to the centre circle and ordered Al Hilal to restart the game, but the Saudi team refused. They were incensed that the referee had allowed City's goal to stand after seeing a replay on the screen which appeared to show the ball hit Ait-Nouri's arm, even though it was bent and tucked into his body as he ran onto the ball. VAR did not instruct Valenzuela to go to the monitor but Al Hilal's players surrounded him and refused to accept his decision, continuing to argue their case. Even when he blew his whistle, waved them away and continued pointing to the spot to signal that Bernardo Silva's goal had stood, two players did not concede and remained in City's half of the pitch. This is how it all unfolded. First a clipped ball through catches Ait-Nouri on the arm as he runs into the box. Then when the ball rebounds from his cross it strikes Gundogan on his upper arm and is then poked in by Silva. As City celebrated a number of Al Hilal players, including Neves, made their case that it should be ruled out for handball. The referee then appeared to ask whether there has been a handball before the goal. Just over a minute later, and without being sent to the screen, he signals for the goal. Al Hilal's players are about to kick off but after a replay his shown over the big screen they abandon the kick off and surround the referee, with Bono even coming all the way from his goal. The referee is unmoved though and after more than a minute of protests announces over the speaker system that his final decision is a goal and points to the centre circle again. Al Hilal are still not happy but, reluctantly, one minute later they kick off. When the cooling break was called after half an hour, several of the players took it upon themselves to question the referee once more. It was a controversial moment but the referee had not ingratiated himself with either team early on as he allowed several heavy tackles and cynical fouls to go without showing a yellow card. Advertisement The officials came out early for the second half, standing in the centre circle for several minutes as they awaited both teams. Perhaps they knew that entering through the tunnel at the same time as Al Hilal would likely cop them another earful. Jordan Campbell Phil Foden needed a short break away from the sport after struggling with his mental health last season. If the question was how quickly would he be able to turn the page and get back to the goalscoring form he was in two seasons ago, then three goals in four games at this tournament — from just one start — is about as emphatic an answer as he could have delivered. But his exquisite volley in the 104th minute of extra time was his best yet — and looked to be his most meaningful. As the ball fell to him he watched it fall and guided it across goal from a very tight angle to beat Bono. Until then City had been struggling to find any room as Al Hilal built a royal blue wall in their own penalty area but Rayan Cherki procured an inch-perfect clipped cross to the back post that Foden took on first time. He was the last sub to be sent on after Guardiola brought on Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Rodri after going 2-1 down in the 52nd minute and then brought on Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki at the start of extra-time. It was a terrific way to get his 100th goal for the club but it did not count for as much as he had hoped. Jordan Campbell It was a surprise when Malcom was taken off just after the hour mark and may have been the result of a crunching tackle from Ruben Dias. The Brazilian was comfortably Al Hilal's most dangerous attacking player as he left City shell-shocked in a whirlwind start to the second half. It was his excellent turn and driving run that kick-started Al Hilal's attack for their initial goal that stunned City after the break. After laying the ball off to Cancelo, it was Malcom's follow-up effort that eventually fell to Marcos Leonardo to score with a smart headed finish. Advertisement Malcom's pace and purpose were on show again just minutes later, as Al Hilal's breakaway goal from a superb Cancelo pass saw him accelerate beyond City's last line from inside his own half to score coolly past Ederson — running from his own defensive box to the attacking box in little more than six seconds. Guardiola's men just could not deal with the Brazilian's pace in the second half, as he spun in behind once more immediately after City had equalised — being clattered by Ruben Dias in the box in what would have certainly been a penalty had Malcom not been inches offside. It was a performance that the 28-year-old will be delighted with, reminding fans that he still has the quality to compete with Europe's best. A short-lived stint at Barcelona in 2018-19 ended with something of a whimper before the Brazilian resurrected things at Zenit Saint Petersburg — later making the move to Saudi Arabia in 2023. His time on the pitch might have only lasted 60 minutes, but what an hour it was. Mark Carey Yassine Bounou likes international tournaments. Better known as 'Bono', the 34-year-old was a crucial member of the Morocco team who got to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with crucial penalty shootout saves against Spain placing him firmly into legendary status for his nation. Bono showcased his shot-stopping skills to the world once more, creating his own highlights reel within a single game at times. Without him, City could have been out of sight by half-time, but his flicked efforts over the bar, strong one-v-one saves and palmed efforts wide of the post kept his side in it. It has been a theme of Bono's tournament in the United States, saving a penalty against Real Madrid's Fede Valverde before keeping back-to-back clean sheets against RB Salzburg and Pachuca during the group stage. The sample size might be rather small, but the Moroccan international has prevented three more goals than he should have based on the quality of shots he has faced, keeping his side in the game (quite literally) single-handedly at times. Advertisement While Al Hilal's financial might has brought several stars to Saudi Arabia in recent years, their understated goalkeeper — nicknamed 'the smiling hero' — is as crucial to Simone Inzaghi as any other outfield player they have on their books. Mark Carey Friday, July 4: Fluminense, Club World Cup quarter-finals (Atlanta), 3pm ET, 8pm UK You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free
Al Bawaba
26-06-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
World's biggest salary? Ronaldo signs historic deal with Al Nassr until 2027
Ronaldo Nets €400M Yearly at Al Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his Al Nassr contract through 2027, with an astonishing €400 million annual salary. This breaks down to: €33.34 million per month €7.6 million per week €1.1 million per day €772 per minute €13 per second The Highest-Earning Athlete Ever Ronaldo surpasses all other footballers, including Neymar and Benzema, to become the world's highest-paid athlete. He reportedly earns over €500 million over two years once bonuses and stakes are included. More Than Just a Player His contract includes part-ownership in Al Nassr, along with signing and performance bonuses. This could potentially increase the total beyond €500 million. Strategic Move for Saudi Football This deal is part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to globalize its Pro League and strengthen its bid for hosting the 2034 World Cup. Ronaldo's signing has triggered a flow of elite talent to the region.
Al Arabiya
05-06-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Saudi Arabia's PIF partners with FIFA for 2025 Club World Cup
A week before the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup begins, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has signed on as an official partner of the monthlong tournament that takes place at stadiums across the United States. PIF, the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, makes this move partially in preparation for Saudi Arabia's role as host of the 2034 World Cup. For more Saudi sports news, visit our dedicated page. 'PIF is creating a legacy of transformative impact in sports including through its partnerships, delivering positive and lasting results at every level, from players and fans to host communities,' PIF head of corporate brand Mohammed Al-Sayyad said in a statement. 'PIF is at the forefront of growing football around the world following our CONCACAF partnership announced last year and our continued investment in football. We are unlocking opportunities to drive the growth of the sport around the world.' The FIFA Club World Cup features some of the most prominent clubs from leagues all over the world. The competition begins Saturday, June 14, with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami (MLS) hosting Egyptian club Al Ahly FC, which has won three recent CAF Champions League titles. According to the Opta Power Rankings, the top five clubs in the tournament are Paris Saint-Germain (France), Manchester City (England), Bayern Munich (Germany), Inter Milan (Italy) and Real Madrid (Spain). Group play begins Saturday and carries through June 26. The knockout rounds begin June 28 with the championship match slated for July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
South China Morning Post
05-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
‘Italian genius' Simone Inzaghi to coach Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal – first task: Real Madrid
Former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi was revealed as the new coach of Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal on Thursday, days before they take part in the new-look Club World Cup. Advertisement The Italian, who led Inter to a heavy defeat in Saturday's Champions League final, had earlier played down rumours of a two-year deal worth €50 million (US$57 million). 'I am Simone Inzaghi and today begins my story with Al-Hilal,' he said in a slickly produced video posted on X, in which he sips Arabian coffee and pins an Al-Hilal lapel badge on his suit. Inzaghi, 49, becomes just the latest high-profile footballing acquisition for oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which will host the World Cup in 2034. 'The Italian genius is here,' Al-Hilal posted. 'Welcome, Simone Inzaghi.' The Saudi club said that the Italian had penned a two-year contract, with the signing taking place in Paris.
The National
14-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Tape-ball cricket takes root in Neom with a little help from Rahul Dravid and Rajasthan Royals
A $500 billion mega project in Saudi Arabia's northwest, whose masterplan includes flying taxis and a floating industrial complex, might not seem the likeliest place for cricket's most basic format to flower. By the time it is completed, Neom is projected to be home to nine million residents. Construction is underway for a 170km long sub-city that is 500m high and 200m wide. A 46,000-capacity football stadium with a space age design should be ready there when the kingdom stages the 2034 World Cup. And the region's football club have grand ambitions for joining Asia's elite, having sealed promotion to the Saudi Pro League next season, with an impending spending spree that could target big names from some of Europe's top clubs. For now, though, the ambitious project is seeing the growth of a no-frills version of cricket which has its origins in the densely populated urban areas of the subcontinent. Tape-ball cricket – played with a tennis ball wrapped with electrical tape – is a staple for thousands of people across the region, particularly within Pakistani and Indian communities. Of the 150,000 people currently living in the Neom region, it is estimated around 70 per cent originate from South Asia. That is what led to the idea to promote cricket as a way to keep workers active and entertained. 'You can't develop anything unless you can attract that workforce and retain that workforce,' Nathan Homer, the commercial director of Neom Sport, said. He points out that sport is not as significant in terms of 'liveability' for expatriate workers than priorities like food, accommodation and wages. He does, though, say the Neom project has a commitment to getting people active. 'We want everybody in our communities, whether they are there now, in the development phase, or there living and working once we are open, to be physically active,' Homer said. 'For that, you need easy access, and it needs to be inclusive. It is not just designing some high-end activity system; we are designing an activity system that anybody can access.' He pointed out there were plenty of visual clues as to what might prove a popular centrepiece of their grassroots sports offering. 'We could see people playing cricket on any flat piece of hard ground they could,' Homer said. 'Tape-ball cricket is accessible as you don't need equipment. You just need a bat and a ball. A set of wickets is nice, but you can use anything for a set of wickets. 'We asked, what can we do that would make a meaningful difference?' The initial idea was to construct two astroturf cricket ovals, with a hard wicket in the centre, and organise a tournament for a format of the sport which is otherwise largely unstructured. Three years on, participation has grown from 'a few hundred to a few thousand,' according to Homer. Companies have seen the impact on their workforce, and followed the lead. Each have constructed – or plan to – astroturf ovals at their own premises. It means that the region, having started out with two grounds, now has nine, a number that will rise to 13 by the end of the year. There were 160 contractor companies who played in the tournament last year. Oxagon, the project that is set to be the largest floating industrial complex in the world, has so many teams that want to enter next season it will stage its own pre-qualifying tournament. The tournaments have included women's matches, and there are also timetabled periods for women's only use of the ovals. 'We are ecstatic that we have all these facilities all over the region, and are proud we have so many people playing, but the real win is that those pitches are being used every day,' Homer said. 'Workers come off their shifts and go and play. Every time you walk past an oval in any camp, there will be someone on there playing cricket. 'Hopefully we are inspiring that through the tournament, and the sparkle the [Rajasthan] Royals can bring.' For the most recent tournament grand final, played in December, the crowd of around 2,500 spectators included Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara. The former international stars were there as part of their roles with Rajasthan Royals, the IPL franchise who are backing the promotion of cricket in Neom. Their trip to the project included providing a coaching session the night before the final, as well as a meet and greet with supporters at the game. 'It is about bringing cricket to life in this part of the world, and I think trying to work on that and work at the grassroots level,' Dravid said in December. 'I think the Royals are uniquely placed to be able to bring together all those aspects. I think we are going to have some good support for Rajasthan Royals in Neom.' Homer said there are other effects of the tape-ball matches, too. 'Cricket breaks down hierarchy,' Homer said. 'We have teams who have the CEO of a contractor playing in the same team as the guy off the shop floor. 'The idea that sport can break down hierarchies and cultures, we see it come alive. That is the classic value of sport. It doesn't matter who you are, what level you are, or where you are from.'
