Al Hilal Knock Manchester City Out in Seven-Goal Club World Cup Epic
Football fans found themselves glued to every second as Al Hilal toppled Manchester City 4-3 in the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals on July 1, 2025, in a contest that had it all: brilliance, mistakes, controversy, and a hero who simply refused to settle for anything less than a place in the semifinals. The Saudi side’s triumph marks one of the biggest results by an Asian club on the global stage, leaving the Premier League giants reeling and their supporters stunned.
The opener came after just 17 minutes when City’s Bernardo Silva pounced on a defensive lapse by Al Hilal. This moment could have followed a much different script: Rayan Aït-Nouri appeared to handle the ball earlier in the buildup, but the officials waved play on, adding fuel to the inevitable post-match debates. Manchester City’s supporters celebrated early, but their smugness would be short-lived.
Al Hilal hit back right after the interval. Leonardo, showing why he’s become a favorite in Riyadh, nodded in the equalizer after following up João Cancelo’s dangerous cross. The ball ricocheted off Éderson’s outstretched glove but landed perfectly for the Brazilian, who did not hesitate. From there, momentum shifted sharply. Malcom surged through on the break just eight minutes into the second half, chipping in a slick finish past Éderson. Suddenly, City’s familiar defensive discipline seemed to vanish in the Middle Eastern heat.
Refusing to be rattled, Erling Haaland did what he does best. Left loose in the box, he poked home following a scrap in the penalty area. The Norwegian striker kept his side’s hopes intact, showing the big-game presence that City have relied on countless times in England and Europe.
Lead Changes, High Drama, and Leonardo’s Defining Moment
The 2-2 deadlock couldn’t be broken in regulation, sending the contest into extra time with both sets of fans on the edge of their seats. Early in the first period, Al Hilal’s Kalidou Koulibaly put them ahead again, rising to power in a corner kick that City defenders could only watch sail in. The Paris Saint-Germain old boy seemed born for these moments, and with the stadium in uproar, the Saudi fans began to dream.
Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack, pushing on substitutes like Rayan Cherki to shake things up. The move almost paid off instantly—Cherki’s measured cross was struck with venom by Phil Foden, who volleyed home the equalizer. Suddenly, with the score at 3-3 and time winding down, it felt like penalties might decide it all.
But this was Leonardo’s night. In the 112th minute, Sergej Milinković-Savić rose for a header, forcing a desperate block from Éderson. The rebound spun straight to Leonardo, who showed the composure of an old-school predator, slotting past the City keeper for his second goal. Al Hilal clung on, thanks largely to Yassine Bounou’s string of decisive saves—including a heart-stopping denial of Haaland in the final minutes and a collective sigh of relief when Éderson, up for a last-gasp City corner, nearly found the net himself.
Looking at the numbers, Al Hilal only needed seven attempts on target to grab their four goals, underlining how brutal their finishing was. City, on the other hand, controlled much of the ball but struggled to break through when it mattered, haunted by the kind of defensive lapses that have rarely plagued them under Guardiola.
This win advances Al Hilal to the Club World Cup semifinals, adding a new page to their history books. For Manchester City, the search for their first Club World Cup title continues, but this night belongs to the Saudi underdogs—and to Leonardo, whose composure under pressure sent the world talking.