Al Hilal honour Al Ittihad pair before Saudi Pro League classic

Al Hilal made a rare gesture before their Saudi Pro League meeting with Al Ittihad by honouring two players from their traditional rivals who helped Saudi Arabia win the Gulf Cup.

The two clubs faced each other at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday in the eighth round of the Roshn Saudi League.

A video published by Saudi newspaper Al Yaum showed Kingdom Arena celebrating the Saudi players who were part of the squad that won the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup.

The stadium was illuminated in green and displayed the message: “Congratulations, Gulf champions.” Images of Al Hilal players who represented Saudi Arabia during the tournament were also shown on the stadium screens.

However, the tribute was not limited to Al Hilal’s own players. The club also displayed images of Al Ittihad midfielders Hassan Kadesh and Mukhtar Ali, who took part in Saudi Arabia’s successful campaign.

The players of both teams also formed a guard of honour for Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais before kick-off. The Al Hilal and national-team player entered Kingdom Arena carrying the Gulf Cup trophy.

Saudi Arabia won the regional competition for the first time in 23 years on Tuesday, beating United Arab Emirates 2-0 in the final.

The title was the latest success for the national team, with Al Hilal’s players and the Al Ittihad duo of Kadesh and Ali all recognised during the pre-match ceremony.