Al-Ahli defeated Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 in the final on Saturday to win its first AFC Champions League Elite title.
Playing in front of 60,000 spectators at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the star-studded Jeddah team earned a resounding victory and finished the tournament undefeated.
Franck Kessie and Galeno’s goals in the first half gave the two-time defeated finalist the upper hand over the five-time Japanese champion.
Al-Ahli rode a wave of support during the tournament’s quarterfinals, semifinals, and final, which were held in Jeddah.
After thirty-five minutes, the home team finally took the lead. Galeno, a Brazilian winger who was acquired from Porto in January for approximately $55 million, curled a shot into the top corner after Roberto Firmino fed him outside the area.
Kessie, a former midfielder for AC Milan and Barcelona, headed home from close range after Firmino crossed for him from the right three minutes before halftime. Firmino was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
After the restart, Kawasaki, which defeated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the semifinals to advance to its first final, applied pressure but found it difficult to generate clear opportunities against a team with plenty of big-game experience.
Firmino, who joined from Liverpool in 2023, and his teammates Edouard Mendy and Riyad Mahrez, who won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City and Chelsea, respectively, are both former winners.
Mahrez, who has nine goals in the tournament, nearly scored a third late in the championship game but missed the mark.
Already, the home crowd was having a good time.
“We are really pleased. We wanted to win in front of our supporters as soon as we found out that Jeddah would host the final eight,” Al-Ahli goalie Mendy stated.
They have given us a lot of support since I arrived here eighteen months ago. Making history, winning trophies, and restoring this club to its former glory were my goals when I signed.
Following Al-Hilal of Riyadh and rival Al-Ittihad of Jeddah, Al-Ahli is the third Saudi team to win the Champions League.
