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The arrogant image of Al Hilal players after coming from behind to beat Man City. |
"Up there, where Al Hilal should be" - the proud tweet of the Saudi Pro League club further shows the ambition of Saudi Arabian football to reach the continental and world level .
The moment was not only a moment of joy and victory, but also an affirmation that Saudi Arabian clubs are ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with any opponent, no longer "noisy outsiders" in the eyes of Europeans.
Man City entered the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ with a devastating performance, winning all 3 group stage matches, scoring 13 goals, and crushing Juventus 5-2. But against a disciplined and pragmatic Al Hilal team under Simone Inzaghi, Guardiola's army spent 120 minutes of unbelievable helplessness.
Al Hilal have long been known as the flagship of West Asian football with a huge collection of AFC Champions League titles. Now, their victory over Pep Guardiola's mighty Man City has made them even more emblematic of the Saudi Pro League's ambition to surpass its limits.
Coincidentally, just a few days earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo - the pioneer of the wave of superstars landing in the Saudi Pro League, also reaffirmed his belief in the power of Middle Eastern football.
“The Saudi Pro League is one of the top five leagues in the world and will continue to grow. Only those who have never played here will not understand that,” the 40-year-old striker said.
And after Al Hilal's resounding victory over Man City, many people must admit that Ronaldo's statement about the Saudi Pro League was not an exaggeration.
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Ronaldo's words are not exaggerated. |
In fact, looking back at what Saudi Arabia has invested in recent years, no one is surprised. Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema, Mahrez, Kante, Henderson, Firmino… have turned the Saudi Pro League into a new "star mine", attracting global media attention.
Saudi Arabia's winning the right to host the 2027 Asian Cup and the 2034 World Cup shows that they are not only "throwing money" to buy image, but are also determined to affirm their position on the world football map.
The moment of raising the flag may be just a symbolic image, but behind it is an undisguised ambition. Drawing 1-1 with Real Madrid and defeating Man City 4-3, Al Hilal really made everyone respect them.
The win over Man City made Al Hilal the pride of Saudi Arabia, and made Ronaldo's words more convincing than ever. Saudi Arabian football is now capable of competing with anyone. The rest of the world, if they still have doubts, may have to reconsider.
Source: https://znews.vn/al-hilal-chung-minh-ronaldo-da-dung-post1565079.html
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