A star-studded trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema is set to electrify the Asian Champions League as they spearhead the Saudi Arabian challenge in the continent's premier football tournament.
Collectively boasting an impressive haul of 11 UEFA Champions League titles, these football icons are now ready to make their mark on the Asian stage.
Neymar, fresh from surpassing Pele's international goal record for Brazil, arrived at Al-Hilal in August. His league debut on Friday saw Al-Hilal, a four-time Asian champion, dismantle Abha 6-1, sending a strong message to their rivals. The club had narrowly lost in the final to Japan's Urawa Reds last May.
What's intriguing is the massive investment in Saudi Arabian football, with clubs shelling out approximately $950 million to acquire some of the world's biggest stars.
This spending spree is primarily powered by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, which has taken majority ownership stakes in four top clubs: Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, and Al-Nassr.
Al-Hilal, in addition to Neymar, has secured English Premier League talents like Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Brazilian winger Malcom, and Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Mumbai City, positioned in the same group, eagerly anticipates the opportunity to take on Al-Hilal, especially with Neymar in the mix. Mumbai's coach, Des Buckingham, expressed his excitement, saying, "They're bringing that caliber and quality of player to India, which is going to be extremely exciting for us and for our club but also for the fans of India."
A total of four Saudi Arabian teams are among the 40 in the group stage, with the top ten group winners and the six best second-placed teams advancing to the next round.
Breaking with the tradition of neutral venues for games between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Ronaldo will lead Al-Nassr to Tehran on Tuesday to face Persepolis. Notably, Al-Nassr has never lifted the coveted Asian trophy.
Persepolis president Reza Darvish has pledged full internet access to Al-Nassr players and personnel during their stay in Iran, a significant departure from the general public's restrictions.
Al-Ittihad, the Saudi Arabian champion, has also made waves in the transfer market by acquiring European winners like N'Golo Kante from Chelsea and Fabinho from Liverpool. The two-time Asian champion kicks off their campaign against AGMK of Uzbekistan in Jeddah.
Completing the Saudi quartet is Al-Fayha, although it lacks the backing of the Public Investment Fund and the same star power. Their journey begins with a challenging trip to Uzbekistan to face Pakhtakor.
While the spotlight shines on Saudi Arabian teams, the Asian Champions League remains a fierce battleground with rising standards across the continent. Reigning champions Urawa Reds from Japan and South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, who lifted the trophy in 2020, are determined to maintain their dominance.
As the tournament unfolds, football fans across Asia are in for an enthralling spectacle, with the allure of iconic football figures and emerging talent promising exhilarating clashes on the pitch. The journey to the coveted Asian Champions League title has never been more captivating.
