History’s Garden Party: How Al-Ittihad’s Grounds Became Hilal’s Backyard in the Saudi Derby

Legacy, turf, and the 'Hilal garden' metaphor

Saudi football’s fiercest derby has long been less about a single score and more about which ground feels most like home to each side. The idea that Halal’s hosts turn their opponent’s field into a personal stage has become a running theme as rivalries evolve, coaches come and go, and stadiums adopt new identities.

In the early professional era, Al-Ittihad played at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium (2008-2009 through 2011). In those first four SPL seasons, each team notched one win and two games ended in draws, a balance that would soon tilt as history marched on.

From the 2012-2013 season onward, Al-Ittihad moved to King Abdullah Sports City, known as the “Jewel” and now marketed as Enmaa. The two clubs have clashed there 13 times in league play, with Hilal claiming 7 wins to Al-Ittihad’s 3 and 3 draws. The overall storyline across the ground has been Hilal’s advantage, a narrative fans have echoed for years.

Across all league meetings on Al-Ittihad’s home turf, the head-to-head tally shows a strong Hilal presence: 17 matches with Hilal winning around half and Al-Ittihad struggling to break through, a trend reflected in goal tallies and dominant performances by Hilal’s attackers.

The shooters and the crown

The record on this ground also highlights the scorers who shaped these clashes. Tiago Neves stands out as Hilal’s top scorer in these meetings on Al-Ittihad’s soil, with seven goals during his time with the team between 2009 and 2015. Other players who found success against the home side include Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbian), Eduaro (Eduardo), Christian Wilhelmsson, and Adil Hermach, among others, who contributed memorable strikes for Hilal.

Blanc’s revolution

Hilal’s supremacy reached a peak before French coach Laurent Blanc took over Al-Ittihad at the start of the previous season. Blanc didn’t merely halt a short winning streak; he produced a historic 4-1 victory—the club’s biggest win against its archrival in the league era on the opponent’s ground. Although he secured domestic trophies, Blanc’s tenure ended early in the new season after a stretch of disappointing results.

Conceicao’s turn and the current challenge

Enter Sergio Conceicao, the Portuguese manager who now oversees Al-Ittihad as they prepare for another classic at Enmaa. Conceicao’s mandate is to continue the work started by Blanc, aiming to curb Hilal’s historical dominance. He arrives with a recent league result of a 1-1 draw with Al-Fayha and a 4-1 win over Al-Shorta in the AFC Champions League Elite, signaling intent but underscoring the challenge ahead.

As the derby approaches, Al-Ittihad sits fifth in the league with 10 points, one behind Hilal in fourth, while leaders Al-Nasr have 15. The narrative remains simple and potent: the home of Al-Ittihad is the battleground, but Hilal’s recent form and historical edge keep the questions alive: can the home stadium reclaim its edge, or does history win again?

Spark notes

In football, as in gardens, the right weather and the right care matter. The Enmaa pitch has seen both thriving moments and tense nights, and this rivalry promises more growth—whether flowers or footwork—before the next whistle. Punchlines incoming for good measure: “If the garden grows trophies, maybe the watering can should come with a referee whistle.” “Blanc planted a legend, Conceicao is watering it, and the crowd brought the fertilizer—just don’t invite the weather; it tends to rain on parades.”