A Saudi royal billionaire has promised every Al-Hilal team and staff member more than $25,000 to beat the Western Sydney Wanderers.
The Saudi Arabian heavyweights and two-time Asian champions most overcome a 1-0 deficit in Saturday’s home second leg of the final if they are to win the Asian Champions League title again.
On the same day the Wanderers won the first leg match at Parramatta Stadium, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, estimated to be worth $21.5 billion, offered “the club representing the nation” SR100,000 (more than US$26,600) to win the championship.
He also said he had bought many tickets of Riyadh’s King Fahd Stadium’s 65,000 seats to give as a “gift” to fans.
“A reward of 100,000 will be given to each player and administrative person for obtaining the Asia Cup,” he tweeted in Arabic.
“And to motivate masses all tickets were bought to give to them as a gift.”
Last month, the businessman and philanthropist paid Al-Hilal players SR40,000, (more than $US10,600) for their 3-0 semi-final win against Al-Ain.
It’s not the first time he has offered the oil state’s top athletes an extra incentive to perform.
Last month he rewarded Saudi track and field athlete Yousef Masrahi a car for winning the 400m gold at the Asian Games.
According to his Alarab News Channel, the prince has given the national special needs football team 41 cars for winning the World Cup three times.
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