Simone Inzaghi, the Italian coach of Al Hilal, has lauded his team as "extraordinary" following their stunning 4-3 extra-time victory over Manchester City in the Club World Cup. The match, held in Orlando, Florida, saw the Saudi Arabian side eliminate the Premier League giants in a seven-goal thriller.
Inzaghi, who has only been in charge of the team for a few weeks, credited the players for their commitment and heart. "We knew had to do something extraordinary if we were to beat Manchester City and that is what the boys did tonight, the lads were simply wonderful," Inzaghi said. He likened the win to "climbing Mount Everest without oxygen," emphasizing the immense challenge his team overcame.
"We had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and we made it," Inzaghi stated. "All the players were exceptional in everything, in the possession phase, the non-possession phase". He also praised his team's organization and technical execution, especially against a team as strong in possession as Manchester City. "We were very well-organised in possession and we played well from a technical point of view against a team which is really aggressive and strong in possession,” he said.
The Al-Hilal coach also acknowledged Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's manager, as "the best coach in the world," while expressing his belief that his team deserved the victory. "It is only right in this moment, this evening, to enjoy this achievement up against the Manchester City of Guardiola. The heart that they put in tonight," Inzaghi said.
The match was a rollercoaster, with Manchester City initially taking the lead through Bernardo Silva. Al-Hilal responded with goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom in the second half. City then retook the lead with goals from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, but Al-Hilal mounted a remarkable comeback in extra time, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Marcos Leonardo scoring the decisive goals.
Inzaghi highlighted the players' application and effort, noting that they had only been working together for a short time. "It is barely three weeks that we are together and you can see the level of application, they really put the effort in. As a coach clearly that is very satisfying," he said. He added, "The lads delivered that performance, they have reached the quarter-finals".
Pep Guardiola acknowledged Al Hilal's victory and praised the way Inzaghi's team hurt them on the counter-attack. "It is a pity, we have been on an incredible journey together and so good place. The vibe was really good, I cannot thank Manchester City enough and especially the players for training and how they have been playing," Guardiola said. He added that his team would take time to rest and prepare for the new season.
Al-Hilal, who have been majority-owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund since 2023, have invested heavily in big-name foreign signings such as Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Kalidou Koulibaly. Al-Hilal will now face Brazil's Fluminense in the quarter-finals.
