Al Hilal secured a fourth title in five years in the wealthy Saudi Pro Football League on Saturday, once again depriving Al Nassr’s Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo of the title. Al Hilal, who recruited Neymar last summer but has been playing without the injured Brazilian since October, won 4-1 against bottom side Al-Hazem. Still undefeated in 31 league matches, Al Hilal players are now 12 points ahead of Al Nassr three days before the end of the championship. Arriving in January 2023 at Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo (39 years old) therefore completed a second season in Saudi Arabia without winning the championship.
Since the Portuguese’s resounding transfer to the oil kingdom, other big names in football have signed eye-catching contracts with several clubs in the country, including Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané, N’Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez. The members of the Saudi “Big Four” — Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, Benzema’s club, and Al Ahli, Mahrez’s team — all belong to the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund. which works to diversify the Saudi economy. Al Hilal and Al Nassr are still scheduled to face each other in the King’s Cup final on May 31.
