Big spending Al Hilal fly Asian standard at Club World Cup

HONG KONG – Al-Hilal will be the standard bearers for Asian football at the revamped Fifa Club World Cup starting this weekend, after appointing Simone Inzaghi to coach a squad bristling with playing talent from Saudi Arabia and around the world.

Big European names like Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have all joined Saudi captain Salem Al-Dawsari at the Riyadh-based club since they received major investment from the nations Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Former Inter Milan coach Inzaghi, who lost in the Uefa Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain, takes over a squad that fell short of their lofty standards by failing to win a fifth Asian Champions League title in May – a misstep that cost Jorge Jesus the chance to lead the team to the Club World Cup.

“My desire had always been to be able to go and coach abroad and for me Al-Hilal is a great opportunity in my career. Al-Hilal is a club I know because I follow Arab football,” said Inzaghi.

“I have always followed Al-Hilal with big sympathy because they have Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, whom I have coached before at Lazio, and I am happy to have found him at the club.”

While Al-Hilal head to the tournament with ambitions of making a big impact in a group also featuring Real Madrid, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg, the expectations for Asias three other clubs are likely to be more modest.

Emirati side Al-Ain won the 2024 Asian Champions League to secure their berth but have endured a dismal 13 months since, and the defence of their continental title ended in ignominy with no wins from eight matches.

Hernan Crespo, who had led the club to their second Asian title, paid the price in November but his replacement Leonardo Jardim lasted