Atif Ruffles Feathers: Is Al Hilal’s Roshn Title Dream Doomed?
25 November 2025
Key takeaways
Ahmed Atif, the former Shabab star, has cooled Al Hilal's Roshn Saudi League title hopes for this season.
In a televised interview, he noted that Hilal had won 11 consecutive matches across the league, the cup, and the AFC Champions League, but faced opponents with more stability and deeper issues.
He added that when Hilal faced teams with sound technical foundations, they struggled to win, unlike Al Nassr, which defeated the league's best sides.
He estimated Al Hilal's chances at no more than 30 percent, insisting that Al Nassr is the favorite under Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus.
Al Nassr continued their winning run with a 4-1 victory over Al Khaleej, moving 27 points on top of the table, four ahead of Hilal, with Al Khaleej in seventh on 14.
Atif also commented on Al Ahli's defeat to Sharjah in the Elite AFC Champions League: rotation policy is not an excuse; the side still boasts international-level players.
Ahli lost 1-0 to Sharjah in the fifth group stage, leaving Sharjah on seven points and Ahli on ten, in third place.
The domestic and continental results have been problematic for Saudi clubs, with reports noting two Saudi sides losing in a single day for the first time since April 2022, including Al Ittihad and Al Ahli losses, and Hilal's own setback against Al Rayyan in Riyadh.
The end of Ahli's long continental unbeaten streak arrived after a 1-0 loss to Sharjah; the run had stretched to 22 matches, dating back to a 2-5 defeat to Esteghlal in April 2021 and continuing through the 2021-22 season and parts of the current campaign.
Jaissle apologized to Ahli fans after the loss, writing on social media that it was a tough night and that they would learn and improve for the next match.
Brikan reportedly refused Mahrez's request to give the captain's armband to Ziad Al-Jehni after his substitution, instead handing it to Roger Ibanez at the captain’s request.
Jordanian referee Ahmed Abu Khadija explained the disallowed goal against Ahli as correct, citing an offside position that benefited the attacker.
Recent results and context
The headline context remains: Al Nassr leads the standings, while Al Hilal and other Saudi clubs navigate a season of tough rotations and testing fixtures.
Meanwhile, the broader Asian competitions remind Saudi clubs of the demanding road ahead and the need for consistency beyond domestic fixtures.
Two quick notes
Punchline 1: If rotations were goals, Jaissle would have a trophy cabinet full of benchware and a bench full of trophies.
Punchline 2: In football as in dating, rotation is fine—until the date shows up with a different lineup every week.
