Yassine Bounou delivered one of the most extraordinary performances in Al Hilal’s history, almost singlehandedly toppling reigning European champions Manchester City in a stunning Club World Cup upset. On Monday night in Orlando, the Moroccan goalkeeper stood tall for 120 relentless minutes, keeping the Saudi side in the fight and ultimately guiding them to a dramatic 4-3 victory after extra time in the round of 16.
Against a City squad that dominated possession and launched waves of attacks, Bounou was nothing short of heroic. Time and again, he denied Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and the rest of City’s formidable front line. While Al Hilal’s defense bent under pressure, Bounou never broke—he was decisive off his line, unshakable under fire, and ice-cold with the ball at his feet.
City struck early through Bernardo Silva in the 9th minute, appearing ready to assert their status. But the second half brought a shocking twist. Within minutes of the restart, Al Hilal flipped the script with two quick goals—one from Marcos Leonardo in the 46th, and another from Malcom in the 52nd. City answered swiftly with a Haaland goal just three minutes later, setting the stage for a breathless second half and extra time.
As legs began to tire, Kalidou Koulibaly put Al Hilal back in front in the 94th minute. Foden drew City level again ten minutes later, but Leonardo struck once more in the 112th minute to seal a historic victory. Through it all, Bounou was the heartbeat of his team’s resilience—a wall in goal and a calm leader under pressure.
With the win, Al Hilal advances to the quarterfinals, where they’ll face Brazil’s Fluminense on Friday. As for Bounou, this performance further cements his reputation as one of the most reliable and composed goalkeepers in the global game—a player who thrives when the stakes are highest.
