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Neves and Al Dawsari at the heart of revamped Al Hilal
- Al Hilal will face Fluminense in the quarter-finals at the FIFA Club World Cup
- Blues have deployed new tactical ideas since the recent arrival of head coach Simone Inzaghi
- Ruben Neves and Nasser Al Dawsari have flourished in unfamiliar roles
Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal are enjoying a brilliant campaign at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Still unbeaten, they have held Real Madrid C.F. to a draw and defeated Manchester City on their way to the quarter-finals. With momentum on their side and propelled by a squad featuring several unsung heroes, they now face Brazilian outfit Fluminense FC on Friday for a place in the last four.
Having only arrived on the eve of the tournament, head coach Simone Inzaghi has set about introducing new tactical ideas and experimenting with players in unfamiliar roles and that has played no small part in their stateside success.
Two players in particular have embodied the new-look Blues and they are Portugal’s Ruben Neves and Saudi Arabia’s Nasser Al Dawsari, whose incredible tactical flexibility has helped change the course of pivotal matches.
Inzaghi’s bold idea
Neves has long been known as a top-flight central midfielder, thanks to his vision, passing and ability to dictate the tempo of matches. As a quintessential No. 6, he builds attacks from the back and stands as a key defensive pillar. Recently, though, his role has shifted under Inzaghi, who is comfortable adjusting player positions to suit his own vision.
The 28-year-old started the tournament in his usual position – scoring his team’s only goal against Real Madrid from the penalty spot as well – but the calculations changed for the showdown with Manchester City. On occasion, Inzaghi had Neves drop back to operate as a third centre-back, a role he had rarely filled before.
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Yet he was brilliant, delivering a solid defensive performance and impressing everyone with his ability to read the game and win back possession, alongside his familiar finesse in transition. In short, he proved himself the sort of top-class player who can transcend position.
After the Blues second match, against FC Salzburg, Neves told FIFA: “We just need to improve defensively and be more precise.”
The Portuguese star certainly played his part in that happening, figuring prominently again in a 2-0 win over CF Pachuca to help steer Al Hilal into the knockout stage.
One Al Dawsari steps up for another
Heading into the tournament the more prominent of the two players named Al Dawsari, forward Salem, was expected to be the Al Hilal talisman. Through the group stage he proved to be just that, scoring a classy opener against Pachuca. Injured late in that match though, it was later revealed that the club captain would miss the remainder of the tournament through injury.
That has seen the spotlight shift to Nasser Al Dawsari, who has flourished as a versatile midfielder, set apart by his dynamism and link-up play. He has played with calmness and poise whether in a central role or a wider one, and provided a key assist against Pachuca that helped the team reach the Round of 16, and Al Hilal fans were vocal in their appreciation of his group-stage efforts.
The 26-year-old is synonymous with the club, having come through their youth set-up and his positional flexibility - capable of playing left-back, central midfield or as a left winger - has already proved invaluable. He has demonstrated exceptional flexibility and filled numerous gaps admirably. The Saudi Arabia international has shown his capacity to balance defensive tenacity and attacking flair.
This sort of positional shift is classic Inzaghi. He is known for developing his players and exploiting their potential in unexpected places to achieve balance and tactical superiority. But plans mean nothing without execution, and that is where Neves and Al Dawsari have excelled.
Now, the Blues have a coach with strong ideas, in tandem with a squad capable of bringing them to life. The result is a remarkable journey for Al Hilal – one that is not over yet.
