"The key to this result was the players, who were always determined on the field," Inzaghi said after the match at Camping World, Florida on 30/6. "We knew we had to do something extraordinary because everyone understands how good Man City is. We knew we had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen, and we did it."

Coach Simone Inzaghi (right) talks with Pep Guardiola after Al Hilal's 4-3 victory over Man City at Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida, USA on the evening of 30/6/2025. Photo: *Goal*

Inzaghi recently joined Al Hilal after Inter's 5-0 loss to PSG in the Champions League final. He is currently the highest-paid coach in the world, earning approximately 34 million USD per season. After three weeks, the Italian coach quickly helped the club make history at the FIFA Club World Cup.

In the group stage, Al Hilal drew 1-1 with Real Madrid, 0-0 with RB Salzburg, and beat Pachuca 2-0 to become the only Asian representative in the round of 16. Yesterday, the storied Saudi Arabian club caused a major upset by defeating Man City 4-3 after extra time, becoming the first Asian team to score four goals against a European opponent in the tournament's history.

"Pep Guardiola is the best coach in the world, but this time we did our best and deserved this result," Inzaghi emphasized.

Kalidou Koulibaly, whose header put Al Hilal up 3-2 in extra time, assessed that Al Hilal performed well both offensively and defensively against one of the strongest teams in the world. The Senegalese center-back said: "We wanted to show our ideas, talent, and strength, and we had a very good game. We defended strongly and took advantage of our opportunities when attacking."

Al Hilal is the strongest team in Asia, according to the Opta Power Rankings. They are also the most successful club in the continent, with four AFC Champions League titles and a record 19 Saudi Pro League titles.

The Saudi Arabian club has invested heavily in recent years, bringing in coach Inzaghi and established European stars such as goalkeeper Bono, center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, full-back Joao Cancelo, midfielders Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. Many of these players were criticized for choosing money over the ambition of continuing to compete at the highest level in Europe.

After the victory against Man City, Milinkovic-Savic responded: "Now let's see if they still criticize us. We performed well against Real Madrid, Salzburg, Pachuca, and Man City today. Hopefully, we will continue to show that."

Compiled by Hong Duy