The fireworks lit up the sky over Riyadh on Friday night as Al-Hilal proved once again why they are the giants of Middle Eastern football. In a high-octane final at the Kingdom Arena, the “Blue Waves” came from behind to defeat underdog story Al-Kholood 2-1, lifting the 2025–26 King’s Cup in front of a capacity crowd and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
A Fairytale Start for the Underdogs
The script was nearly torn to shreds within the first 180 seconds. Al-Kholood, appearing in their first-ever major final just two years after promotion, stunned the stadium when Ramiro Enrique exploited a gap in the Hilal defense. The Argentine striker raced onto a long ball, kept his composure, and slotted it past Yassine Bounou to give the underdogs a shock 1-0 lead.
For the next 40 minutes, Al-Kholood’s deep defensive block, orchestrated by Des Buckingham, frustrated Al-Hilal. Every cross was met by a head, and every shot seemed destined to be blocked.
The Five-Minute Blitz
Al-Hilal’s quality finally told just before the halftime whistle. The breakthrough arrived in the 42nd minute when a partially cleared cross fell to Nasser Al-Dawsari, who lashed a powerful effort into the net to restore parity.
With the momentum firmly behind them, Simone Inzaghi’s men struck again in stoppage time. After some intricate buildup involving Karim Benzema, the ball found its way to Theo Hernández. The Frenchman didn’t hesitate, unleashing a signature low drive from outside the box that scorched the turf and nestled into the far corner. Two goals in five minutes turned the game on its head.
Inzaghi’s Tactical Masterclass
The second half was a professional display of game management. Al-Hilal dominated possession, with Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinković-Savić pulling the strings in midfield. While Al-Kholood threw everything forward in the dying minutes, including a late scare from Iker Kortajarena, the experience of the champions shone through to seal their 12th title.
The victory marks Al-Hilal’s third King’s Cup in four years and serves as a vital psychological boost ahead of their do-or-die league clash against Al-Nassr this coming Tuesday.
