Prince Abdulrahman bin Musaed, the former president of Al-Hilal Club and an influential figure in Saudi sports, ignited a new crisis with strong and direct statements in response to recent remarks attributed to Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus. These remarks came in the context of the coach's comments about Al-Hilal possessing what he termed "political power," which the Prince considered a blatant questioning of the integrity of the competition and the team's efforts.
A fiery response and legitimate questions
On his official Twitter account (formerly known as "X"), Prince Abdulrahman bin Musa'id launched a counter-attack, questioning the true meaning behind using the term "political power" to justify match results or league standings. He pointed out that Jesus, who has extensive experience in Saudi football through his coaching of Riyadh's two giants (Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr), should have been more clear and transparent instead of making baseless accusations, especially since such statements damage the reputation of the entire sports system.
The contradiction in Jesus's statements
In a logical analysis of the situation, the former Al-Hilal president put the Portuguese coach in confrontation with his personal history, asking: If Al-Hilal's achievements were the result of political influence as he claims, then where is Jesus's technical and coaching role in the championships he won with the team two seasons ago? And does the veteran coach accept that his personal success and technical tactics be attributed to external factors unrelated to football? This argument puts the coach in a dilemma, so either he acknowledges the efficiency of the technical system, or he admits that his previous successes were illusory.
Historical facts refute the claims
To bolster his position with evidence, Prince Abdul Rahman bin Musa'id cited events from the previous season that refuted the theory of "favoritism" or "political influence." He pointed out Al-Hilal's failure to win the Saudi Professional League title and the King's Cup, both of which deservedly went to Al-Ittihad, in addition to the team's elimination from continental competitions. The Prince considered these failures conclusive proof that competition in Saudi football is governed by the standards of winning and losing on the pitch, and is not directed by hidden forces as the statement attempted to portray it.
Context of the event and its impact
These statements take on particular significance given the qualitative leap Saudi sports are witnessing and the global trend towards the Roshan League. Such accusations, coming from a coach of Jesus's stature, could negatively impact the league's image and stir controversy among fans. The prince concluded by emphasizing that ignoring this "strange and offensive" statement is not an option, calling for a thorough investigation and clarification of the facts to protect the club's achievements and long history from being questioned.
