Al Hilal begin the new Roshn Saudi League season as the dominant force of the professional era, despite failing to win the title in either of the past two campaigns.
The latest Saudi top-flight season starts on Thursday with three fixtures: Abha face Al Hazem, Al Shabab meet Al Qadsiah and Al Ahli host Al Diriyah.
It is the 19th edition of the Saudi league since the professional era began with the inaugural 2008-09 season. Across the 18 previous campaigns, Al Hilal have established themselves as the leading club in Saudi football, winning the championship eight times.
That total represents almost half of all the league titles awarded during the professional era. It also matches the combined number of championships won by Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.
The figures underline the scale of Al Hilal’s achievement. While the Riyadh club have not lifted the trophy during the past two seasons, no other team has come close to matching their overall record since professional football was introduced.
Al Nassr are the second most successful side in the competition during that period, with four league titles. Their most recent triumph came last season, ending a seven-year wait for the championship.
Al Ittihad sit third in the standings for professional-era league victories, having won the title three times. Their latest success came in the season before last, with French manager Laurent Blanc in charge.
Al Ahli, meanwhile, have claimed the championship once in the professional era. That victory came in the 2015-16 season under their long-serving manager Christian Gross.
Al Ahli’s title record is the same as that of Al Fateh and Al Shabab, who have also each won the league once since the professional era began.
The new campaign will give the leading clubs another opportunity to alter the balance of power, but Al Hilal remain the benchmark after collecting eight championships from the first 18 seasons.
Al Hilal will begin their own league campaign on Friday, when they host Al Faisaly at Kingdom Arena in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
Their opening fixture follows the trio of matches scheduled for Thursday, with Abha against Al Hazem, Al Shabab against Al Qadsiah and Al Ahli against Al Diriyah launching the new season.
Although Al Nassr were the champions last season and Al Ittihad won the title the campaign before that, Al Hilal’s record remains unmatched. Their eight victories equal the combined haul of the three other clubs highlighted among the competition’s leading winners: Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.
