Al Hilal suffered a major blow after it was confirmed that one of its key players will miss the upcoming match against Manchester City in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Club World Cup.
The Blue Wave qualified for the Round of 16 after finishing second in their group, which included Real Madrid, Salzburg, and Pachuca, and after winning the final round 2-0 against the Mexican club.
Details of Salem Al-Dawsari’s Injury and Length of Absence
Salem Al-Dawsari left the last match against Pachuca with an injury in the 76th minute, after scoring one of Al Hilal’s two goals. At first glance, the injury appeared to be minor, but the opposite proved true in the final hours.
According to Al Hilal’s official announcement, Salem Al-Dawsari’s injury is to his hamstring, and he will need at least one to six weeks to return and participate in the team’s matches again.
Thus, it has become certain that Salem Al-Dawsari, 33, will not participate in the upcoming round of 16 match against Manchester City.
Al-Hilal squad medical news 🔹 pic.twitter.com/0K0kBpLF56
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) June 28, 2025
Salem Al-Dawsari: Al-Hilal’s and Arabs’ all-time leading scorer in the Club World Cup
Undoubtedly, Al-Dawsari’s injury represents a major blow to Al-Hilal, given that the player is a key component of coach Simone Inzaghi’s offensive plan and is one of the best and most successful wingers in the history of Saudi football.
Al-Dawsari is Al-Hilal’s all-time leading scorer in the Club World Cup, having scored five goals in four previous appearances. He is also the all-time leading Arab scorer in the tournament, breaking the record held by Egyptian legend Mohamed Aboutrika.
Over the past season, Al-Dawsari participated in 51 matches in all competitions, scoring 27 goals and providing 18 assists. These numbers speak volumes about the player’s offensive prowess for the Blue Wave.
Al-Hilal vs. Manchester City 2025 Club World Cup Match Date
Al-Hilal will meet Manchester City on the morning of Tuesday, July 1, 2025. The anticipated match is scheduled to kick off at Camping World Stadium at 4:00 AM Mecca time.
Al-Hilal is the only Asian and Arab club to have reached the Round of 16, but they face Pep Guardiola’s side, the only team to have achieved a perfect record in the group stage.
2025 Club World Cup Round of 16 Match Schedule
The winner of the Al-Hilal vs. Manchester City match will meet the winner of the Inter vs. Fluminense match in the quarterfinals next week.
