Abdulrahman bin Musaed responds to Al-Nassr coach's statements about Al-Hilal's influence
Amidst the fierce competition in the Saudi Professional League, which has garnered global attention, a statement attributed to Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus sparked widespread controversy in sporting circles. This prompted a firm and logical response from Prince Abdulrahman bin Musaed, former president of Al-Hilal and an influential figure in the sport. His response aimed to clarify misconceptions and address the root causes of victory and defeat in the world of football.
A fiery response via the X platform
Prince Abdulrahman bin Musaed expressed his astonishment at the statements made during the press conference preceding the highly anticipated derby match against Al-Shabab, describing them as "offensive and unacceptable." In a detailed tweet on his official X account, the Prince refuted the claims that attempted to justify Al-Nassr's loss of the top spot by suggesting they lacked what they termed "Al-Hilal's political power.".
Bin Musaed asked rhetorically, yet logically: “Given that he coached both teams, what exactly is this political power?” This question strikes at the heart of the conspiracy theories some resort to in order to justify technical failures, demanding a clear and concrete explanation for these claims instead of making baseless accusations.
Historical facts refute the claims
The former president of Al-Hilal club did not stop at mere condemnation; he also cited recent historical events to refute the alleged political support. He astutely pointed to a previous period when the same coach led Al-Hilal, asking: “If Al-Hilal’s strength is due to political factors, does that mean that what Al-Hilal achieved with Jesus two seasons ago had no part in it, but rather was due to that political power?”.
The prince continued to present compelling evidence, citing the previous season as proof of the competition's integrity. He asked, "Where was this supposed political power last season when Al-Hilal failed miserably under Jesus, losing both the league and the King's Cup to Al-Ittihad?" This reference to Al-Ittihad's domestic victories and Al-Ahli's Asian Champions League triumph serves as conclusive proof that championships in Saudi Arabia are decided on the pitch based on effort and skill, not external influence.
The importance of the statement and its timing
These responses are of paramount importance at present, given the qualitative leap that Saudi sports are undergoing. With substantial government support for all clubs without exception within the framework of Vision 2030, and the privatization of clubs, talk of "political influence" of one club at the expense of another is incompatible with the reality of professionalism and fair competition overseen by the Ministry of Sports.
Such statements preceding major matches could lead to increased public discontent, and therefore the intervention of a prominent Al-Hilal figure like Abdul Rahman bin Musaed was necessary to put the compass back on the right track, and to emphasize that sporting excellence is the product of integrated administrative and technical work, and that the excuse of “political power” is no longer acceptable in the era of professionalism and transparency.
