Inside Saudi's Own Version Of El Clasico: Crossing The Great Cultural Divide
Only a handful of matches in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region get the juices flowing quite like the Saudi Clasico, featuring Al-Ittihad, the country's oldest surviving football club, and Al-Hilal, the most decorated team in the Kingdom. I was fortunate enough to witness this rivalry on the Saudi Foundation Day celebrated every year on February 22. The Tigers, Al-Ittihad, represent the port city of Jeddah, while the Blue Waves, Al-Hilal, are based more than 1,000 km away in Riyadh, the capital of the Saudi Kingdom.
