History of the Jeddah derby: Amr Faqih reveals details of Al-Ittihad's withdrawal and Al-Ahli's statistics
As part of ongoing efforts to document the history of Saudi football and preserve the rights of prestigious clubs, sports historian and member of the committee documenting the history and championships of Al-Ahli Club, Amr Siraj Faqih , revealed exciting historical facts related to the Jeddah derby matches between the two poles, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad, highlighting events dating back more than half a century.
Jeddah Derby: A tradition spanning 70 years
Faqih emphasized that the Jeddah derby is the oldest and most prestigious rivalry in Saudi Arabia, with the competition between the two teams spanning over 70 years. He explained that the official inception of these matches coincided with the establishment of formal Saudi competitions in 1377 AH (1957 CE), specifically within the King's Cup competitions, with the first official match played on 28 Jumada al-Awwal 1377 AH. This gives the derby significant historical and cultural value that transcends mere immediate sporting rivalry.
Al-Ahly's superiority in terms of numbers
The sports historian presented detailed statistics for official matches documented within the project to record the history of Saudi football, noting that the total number of matches reached 191. The figures revealed a historical advantage for Al-Ahli, which achieved 73 victories , compared to 62 wins for Al-Ittihad, while 56 matches ended in a draw. These numbers reflect the intensity of the competition and the close levels of skill across the decades, with Al-Ahli holding a slight edge in the final tally.
The story of the Union's withdrawal on Monday
In recounting a historical incident that remains etched in memory, Faqih addressed the infamous withdrawal of Al-Ittihad from their match against their traditional rivals. He explained that the incident occurred on Monday , 22 Rajab 1388 AH (October 14, 1968), during a league match. In that game, Al-Ahli was leading 4-2 when Al-Ittihad withdrew, resulting in a 4-0 victory for Al-Ahli according to the regulations in place at the time. This incident stands out as a pivotal moment in the history of matches between the two teams.
Record: 9 consecutive wins
Al-Ahli's dominance during that era wasn't limited to the withdrawal incident alone. Faqih pointed out that that match was part of a golden streak in which Al-Ahli achieved an unprecedented record, both locally and perhaps globally, in derby matches, by winning nine consecutive games against Al-Ittihad. This streak extended from September 1967 to September 1970, and witnessed significant results that reflected the technical differences at the time, with the following scores: (3-1, 2-1, 4-0 "withdrawal", 2-0, 1-0, 4-0, 3-1, 2-0, 3-2).
Faqih concluded his remarks by emphasizing that this information is accurately documented within the project to document the history of Saudi football for the year 2025, which puts an end to the public debate about historical figures and gives everyone their due in the records of Saudi sports.
