Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou can't wait to embark upon a new journey as Al Hilal prepare to write an exciting chapter in their history during the Fifa Club World Cup in the United States this summer.
The Saudi Arabian giants are looking to make an impression on the wider world, having dominated football in the kingdom and also the region for many years.
The Club World Cup offers Al Hilal an opportunity to not only test themselves against the best in the business, during an expanded tournament, but also show how far the club and Saudi football in general has progressed in the past few years, especially since the huge wave of investments in the Saudi Pro League.
Their first challenge will be one of the biggest in world football – against 15-time Uefa Champions League winners Real Madrid in their opening Group H fixture at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, on June 18. They will then lock horns with FC Salzburg and CF Pachuca.
And leading their challenge will be Bounou. The Moroccan goalkeeper had a memorable tournament at the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, helping his team to an unprecedented run to the semi-finals.
Los Blancos are an opponent that Bounou knows well, having played against them 10 times during his spells at Spanish clubs Girona and Sevilla. Al Hilal also faced Madrid in the final of the 2022 Club World Cup, which the Spanish giants won 5-3.
“I've played against Real a lot; I have many friends in the team, and I've always met their fans on the streets of Spain. I've always had mutual respect for the club and its supporters. I've faced a lot of great teams throughout my career, and I'm privileged that Real Madrid is one of them, and it's a great honour to do it again wearing the Al Hilal shirt, which is a world-famous club in its own right,” Bounou told Fifa.com.
“There are no easy games in modern football, and that certainly applies to this tournament. We want to go as far as possible. As a Moroccan player at a World Cup, I aspire to reach a level I have never reached before.”
The Moroccan star said he will be looking to draw from his experience at Qatar 2022 where Bounou emerged as one of the premier goalkeepers in the world.
“Participating in the World Cup is a very important part of every player's career, and the experience I have gained from it will be an additional factor that the team can capitalise on,” he said.
Beyond football, Bounou said the tournament is important in spreading the game to a massive territory like the United States and North America, which will also host the Fifa World Cup in 2026, while also representing the football culture of the Gulf region.
“Since a World Cup is a tournament that brings together many cultures from all over the world in one country and one stadium, I'm sure the atmosphere will be amazing.
“As part of our position in the Arab world, we recognise the value of the fans and realise how important they will be for us at the Club World Cup. Great teams seek to reach a larger audience in a tournament like this. We already have fans on different continents, and our participation is a positive thing for them.”
Ultimately, many players at the Club World Cup will have one eye on the 2026 finals which also take place in the US. But Bounou wants to focus on the tournament in front of him.
“Every player in the world wishes to have the opportunity to represent his country in the World Cup, but now there is a new opportunity thanks to the Club World Cup. I am honoured to represent Al Hilal in this tournament and, God willing, we will perform at our best,” said the 34-year-old.
