Al Hilal Stuns Manchester City with 4-3 Extra-Time Victory in Club World Cup Thriller

Riyadh, June 30, 2025 – Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal delivered a historic performance on Monday night, defeating European champions Manchester City 4-3 in a dramatic extra-time encounter at the FIFA Club World Cup in Orlando, Florida. The result, widely regarded as one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, propelled the Riyadh-based club into the quarterfinals, where they will face Brazil’s Fluminense.

The match began with controversy as Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 9th minute, following a sequence that saw the ball strike the arm of teammate Rayan Ait-Nouri. Al Hilal players protested the decision, believing a handball should have been called, resulting in a four-minute delay before play resumed.

Al Hilal responded with remarkable resilience in the second half. Just 41 seconds after the restart, Marcos Leonardo equalized, capitalizing on a rebound from City goalkeeper Ederson. Moments later, Malcom put Al Hilal ahead, sprinting down the field and finishing clinically to make it 2-1. Manchester City quickly drew level through Erling Haaland, who scored from close range to tie the match at 2-2.

With the score unchanged at the end of regulation, the match entered extra time. Kalidou Koulibaly restored Al Hilal’s lead with a powerful header from a corner, only for City substitute Phil Foden to equalize once more. The decisive moment came in the 112th minute when Marcos Leonardo netted his second goal, converting a rebound after Ederson’s save to secure a famous victory for Al Hilal.

Al Hilal’s triumph was built on standout performances across the pitch, with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou making 10 crucial saves and the team creating more dangerous chances than their highly favored opponents. The win sparked widespread celebration among fans and ignited global social media trends, with #الهلال leading discussions.

The victory not only cements Al Hilal’s reputation as Asia’s top club but also positions them as serious contenders for the Club World Cup title, drawing praise for their tactical discipline, teamwork, and resilience against one of the world’s elite teams.