Al-Hilal's coach, Portuguese Jorge Jesus, praised the performance of young defender Murad Hawsawi in his first start with the first team, following the match that brought together “Al-Za’eem” with Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai of the UAE in the seventh round of the AFC Champions League, which ended in a positive draw between the two teams.
In the post-match press conference, Jesus singled out the young player for praise, deeming his debut "excellent" given the difficulty of the match and the strength of the opponent. Jesus said, "Murad Hawsawi delivered an excellent performance. In his first start, he showed a fantastic level. Today's match was not easy at all, yet his performance was very good." The Portuguese coach added, "We aimed for victory, but we faced a well-organized team with a good coach, and a draw was not the result we were hoping for, but we accept it.".
General context and importance of the event
The inclusion of Murad Hawsawi in the starting lineup for a prestigious continental tournament like the AFC Champions League reflects the coaching staff's strong confidence in his abilities and underscores Al Hilal's strategy, which extends beyond simply acquiring international stars to include developing young talents from the club's academy and giving them the opportunity to prove themselves. With its rich history of domestic and continental titles, Al Hilal is a pioneer in this field, having produced numerous shining stars for Saudi football over the decades.
Expected impact on the future of the player and the club
Giving a young player like Hawsawi the opportunity to play in a match of this magnitude carries significant strategic implications. Domestically, it strengthens Al-Hilal's squad depth and provides strong future options in defense, benefiting the team amidst a congested fixture schedule and competition on multiple fronts. Regionally and nationally, the emergence of a young defender of this caliber is a major asset for the Saudi national team, representing the nucleus of a new generation capable of carrying the "Green Falcons" banner in upcoming international tournaments, including the World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Cup. This aligns with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 to develop sports and elevate the level of local talent.
