Tala Al Badru 'Alayna: Catching A Glimpse Of The Storied Tales Of Football In The Streets Of Jeddah
Unfazed by perceptions from the outside world, a rich historied culture of football triumphs in the streets of Jeddah and Saudi Arabia
“We don’t talk about them here. We only support Ittihad here".
That one sentence from Zayd, the receptionist at the hotel I was slated to stay at, set the tone for all that I would come to experience over the next week. A subtle foreshadowing of the deep-rooted rivalry that has stood over decades across the deserts of Saudi Arabia.
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As outsiders to the culture of football in the Middle East, much gets lost in the echoes when Saudi football enters the conversation. I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of the same was birthed only when a certain Portuguese forward took his talents and irreplicable star power with him to join the ranks of Al Nassr.
“I think they (Al-Nassr) have this Portuguese player? This 40-year-old, someone called Ronaldo, I guess. I mean, I think he is more of a YouTuber-turned-professional footballer now, isn’t he?" stated Omar, a hardcore Al-Ittihad fan.
Such not-so-subtle playful jabs at their rivals were more than common among the Ittihad faithful. These comments weren’t birthed out of hatred. The irrefutable influence that Cristiano has had on the SPL and its perception worldwide is something most fans revere. Yet for those who were dedicated to the Tigers, it was Ittihad or nothing.
But one thing to remember here is that the beautiful game had been living and breathing life into the Saudi landscape well before Cristiano’s arrival.
From the lively swank lanes of the city to the old-fashioned lanes of Al-Balad, Ittihad jerseys were always in one’s line of sight in Jeddah, donned by the passersby. Young children ran around the storied walking paths of the Old City with birthday balloons in the shape of footballs, all the way into a quaint little pitch right in the heart of the square, where they immersed themselves in the beautiful game, under the starry night skies of Jeddah.
“Football is the number one sport of the Saudi people. You can ask any Saudi what the best sport we play here is, and they will all agree that it is football. It is a part of our life," stated Allehyani, a devoted Ittihad fan.
Football is no stranger to historied rivalries. From Manchester United-Liverpool to Real Madrid-Barcelona, many a clash represents a deep-seeded conflict between the clubs, whether it may be on the grounds of differing political philosophies, geographic tensions, or simply because both want to reign superior over the other. The latter is the case with Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal.
Derbies traditionally take place between rivals from within the same city, with historic animosity shrouding fixtures between Al-Ahli and Zamalek in Cairo, Celtic and Rangers in Glasgow, and Boca Juniors and River Plate in Buenos Aires.
But the reason for the rivalry between Ittihad and Hilal is quite simple: they are the two most decorated teams in the country’s history, and the ‘Al Clasico’ is an opportunity for both to stake their claim as the best in the nation.
In the blue corner lies Al-Hilal, the reigning champions, and the country’s most decorated club. The Blue Waves are the proud holders of 19 Saudi league titles and four AFC Champions Leagues — both records – an accomplishment that allows them to tout themselves as the best team in all of Saudi Arabia and Asia.
In the yellow corner are the contenders, Al-Ittihad. Nine titles and two AFC Champions League fall short of their cross-country rivals from the capital. But to the fans of the Tigers, that is of little consequence. Al Ittihad fans pride themselves on being the country’s oldest surviving football club, established in 1927.
To put it into perspective, modern Saudi Arabia was only united as a nation in 1932.
“Everyone supports Ittihad, from rich to poor. That’s why we called it the people’s club. Al Hilal, on the other hand, was always backed by those in power, the richest of the rich," Allehyani added.
So, there we have it, the deeper sentiment behind the fierce rivalry – the difference in class. The proletariat against the bourgeoisie. In today’s era though, the same sentiment is hard to hold onto for outsiders and newcomers, due to the PIF coming into play.
The PIF (Public Investment Fund) took over both clubs as a part of the ‘Big Four’ they invested heavily in as part of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s greater project: Vision 2030.
With the goal of economic diversification, Vision 2030 aims to lead Saudi Arabia away from its fossil fuel dependency with the help of football.
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman controls the PIF, and its purpose is to invest on behalf of the Saudi Arabian government. More than half of the PIF’s investments are within Saudi Arabia and on private multi-industry companies. Interestingly, the PIF has become prominent in local and foreign football leagues in recent years.
In 2023, the PIF purchased a 75% stake in four major RSL clubs: Al Nassr, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hilal. This enormous move in ownership aimed to “unleash various commercial opportunities…across numerous sports," stated the PIF.
Much has been and can be stated about the motives behind the PIF’s move. But for the fans, none of the same mattered. All that was on their mind was a win against their rivals. Bragging rights.
And to add to the same, both clubs were currently vying for the top spot in the RSL, with Al-Ittihad reigning over Al-Hilal four points clear at the top.
So there I was, on the fine sultry evening of Saudi Foundation Day, celebrated every year on February 22nd to commemorate the historical foundation of the Saudi State, as hordes of fans began flocking into the King Abdullah Sports City hours before both teams were even slated to arrive.
Under the breezy maroon-laden skies of Jeddah, countless waves of yellow began to enter the 60,000-seater slowly and steadily, as both groups continued to chant songs of their club’s prowess.
Waves of blue followed shortly, as the Al-Hilal faithful assembled, replying with spirited songs of their own to silence those who were devoted to the Tigers. And before I knew it, the sun had set and all those present were merely engulfed by the electric atmosphere of tension but one shrouded with warmth and hospitality.
Crowds of fans from both sides came together during prayer, sitting beside each other in peace and quiet, as they all shared silence, laughs, and everything in between at the fan zone before the battle ensued on the field.
“If you start a conversation with anyone from Saudi, you’ll understand we’re welcoming. We know it’s a sport, and once the game is over, we are brothers and sisters. Even in most of the households here, each family member might support different city rivals. So, we know what we’re doing, and we keep it to just football," said Allehyani.
But once the players arrived in the arena, the paradigm shifted. The dominant home fans roared in tandem as their players led by superstar Karim Benzema took to the pitch. The Blue Waves though wouldn’t stay silent, as they clumped together with rallying cries of support from the away end that could be heard and felt by all those in attendance.
The tifos followed shortly after, as the Ittihad faithful unveiled a magical “Not Like Us" display from the adjacent end, a tribute to Kendrick Lamar’s hit track, as a diss towards the Al-Hilal side.
The away end wouldn’t give in, as they retaliated with banners of their own, unveiling one of Aleksandar Mitrovic shushing the crowds, as a retort to the loud and noisy home side.
Al-Hilal though would be outdone on the pitch, as Benzema and co. trampled over the visitors with a commanding 4-1 win to solidify their lead at the top of the table. But, none of what transpired on the pitch would hinder the faithful of either side, as the Ultras filled the atmosphere with electrifying displays of support back and forth.
Perhaps Ittihad triumphed in the fixture ultimately. But, I guess the bigger triumph here falls to football as a whole, as a unifying force that continues to bring masses together without fail. And a triumph of self, to be lucky enough to witness the same through my very own eyes.
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