Saudi Arabia’s Great Football Experiment Is Paying Off At CWC

The great Saudi Arabian soccer experiment is on full show at the Club World Cup.

- AP

The oil-rich kingdom, which is spending billions of dollars to become a major player in the world's most popular sport, scored a big win on the field Monday when Al Hilal beat Premier League giant Manchester City 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.

It was a seismic result in soccer terms; possibly the biggest upset of the tournament and precisely the type of statement Saudi Arabia has wanted to make since embarking on a project that will ultimately see it stage the World Cup in 2034.

"We wanted to show that Al Hilal has the talent, the power to be here," said defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who was among a slew of star players paid fortunes to leave Europe's top clubs for the Saudi Pro League in recent years.

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