They’ve won 13 Premier League crowns, 27 cup trophies, six continental titles and are simply know as ‘The Boss’.
Meet Al Hilal, the giants which stand between Western Sydney and a maiden Asian Champions League title.
Just like most of the Australian public, Wanderers coach Tony Popovic admitted post-match on Wednesday to being largely in the dark about the side they’ll face across two legs on October 25 in Sydney and November 1 in Riyadh.
Considered the Middle East’s biggest club, Al Hilal have collected a staggering 55 bits of silverware, including a record 40 Saudi Arabian crowns and two Asian Champions League titles since their foundation in 1957.
With an effort that would rival the trophy cabinets of a Real Madrid or a Manchester United it’s no surprise they were named the Asian Club of the 20th Century by the FIFA-endorsed International Federation of Football History & Statistics.
“We’ve been looking at how well they’ve been doing and they have a proud history. It’s a history we’d love to have one day,” Wanderers coach Tony Popovic said on Thursday.
“You’re in the final and you expect to play someone of the highest standard and that’s what we’ll be up against.”
This year’s ACL final will be their first in 13 years.
They have been Asian champions twice, in 1991 and 2000, and runners up in 1986 and `87 before the competition was revamped as the ACL in 2002.
Just like most teams in their region they’re not short on money and have a president, Abdulrahman bin Musa’ad, who as part of the royal family, is among Saudi Arabia’s richest men.
They boast facilities that would be the envy of any big European club.
In 2009, the club opened a new camp in Riyadh which contains an entertainment quarter, its own medical clinic and salon.
But back on the pitch they’re just as impressive.
Al-Hilal’s squad is brimming with Saudi Arabian internationals and has several premium foreigners thrown in the mix.
Their defence isn’t lacking talent with centre-back Kwak Tae-hwi among one of Korea’s best and Brazilian defender Diago.
Before their 2-1 loss to Al Ain on Tuesday Al Hilal had gone eight ACL matches without conceding a goal.
But it’s in their attack where the biggest danger lies.
Former Brazilian international Thiago Neves orchestrates the midfield and is already their highest scorer in this year’s Saudi Premier League, while attacking spearhead Nasser Al-Shamrani is the second highest scorer this ACL campaign with 10 goals so far.
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