10 months ago
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Taking on one of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo takes plenty of guts, but squaring up to both of the all-time greats is the stuff of legend.
The sheer brass neck of that feat from Saudi Arabia star Ali Al Bulaihi only increases in impressiveness when you then factor in that he beat both of the footballing icons.
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Al Bulaihi has long been one of Saudi’s top talents, being the country’s main man in defence as they qualified for, and stared at, the 2022 World Cup.
Even before the Saudi Pro League revolution, the national team was growing in stature, reaching the 2018 tournament where star defender Al Bulayhi again featured, and he’s now at home playing with the best.
In November 2022, Saudi started their World Cup campaign with the upset of the tournament, downing eventual champions Argentina 2-1, and completely outplaying them.
No one saw the result coming, except for the 34-year-old in defence.
Messi had given his country an early lead from the spot, but Saudi came back, and when Salem Al-Dawsari put away a stunning curler to go 2-1 ahead, Al Bulaihi saw his chance to s***house.
Tracking Messi on the halfway line, he approached the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and slapped him on the back, before getting up close and personal.
Messi looked stunned, and Al Bulaihi was asked what he said during his country’s most famous win.
“I told him ‘you won’t win’,” he revealed. “Yes, I told him that he wouldn’t win.”
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Clearly still on a high from his heroics, the four-time SPL winner has Al Hilal back dominating the league even with all the competition that’s come in, and he wasn’t afraid to go all-in again when facing a megastar.
Al Hilal hosted title rivals Al Nassr on December 1 with the chance to go seven points clear, and they did exactly that.
A 3-0 win saw Al Bulaihi mark Ronaldo out of the game, but that was far from the full story as the pair repeatedly tangled.
The Saudi taunted the Portuguese for a perceived dive, and later the tables were turned when the defender did the same.
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Fully under Ronaldo’s skin, Al Hilal took a 2-0 lead and the former Manchester United man couldn’t keep it in anymore, applauding Al Bulaihi and gesturing at him repeatedly for going down far too easily.
Then the centre-back bit back, getting right up in Ronaldo’s face and risking a red card as Ronaldo pointed at his ear.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Aleksandar Mitrovic ended the game by making it 3-0, and Al Bulaihi was again back at it, s***housing the Al Nassr fans behind his goal, earning him a potentially overdue red card.
Al Hilal remain top of the league by seven points, but are now without their star man as he takes part in the Asian Cup.
Saudi are looking for their first tournament win since 1996, and more than anyone, Al Bulaihi will want to emerge from the spotlight that’s been taken by Ronaldo and Co back home.
Fifth in the betting odds well short of favourites Japan, Saudi are keen to cause an upset, and captain Al Bulaihi will undoubtedly be key.
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Roberto Mancini’s side started their campaign by going 1-0 down early to Oman, but after a 78th minute equaliser, it was time for the main man to arrive.
Into the fifth minute of stoppage time, in came a corner which was flicked on, and there was Al Bulaihi to nod home a priceless winner.
Running over to his fans full of joy, out came a green balloon, as Al Bulaihi blew it up and replicated Christopher Nkunku’s famous celebration.
It was an iconic moment, but the fact the defender - who previously only had one international goal - was so confident that he had a balloon ready for the next one, shows we could well have be watching the star of the 2024 tournament.
