Inzaghi’s 53-match unbeaten run with Al Hilal ends in friendly defeat to MC Alger

Simone Inzaghi’s remarkable 53-match unbeaten streak as Al Hilal head coach came to an end on Wednesday as the Saudi champions lost 2-0 to MC Alger in a pre-season friendly in Austria.

The match was the third warm-up fixture for Al Hilal during their external training camp, and the first time the team have been beaten under Inzaghi in either competitive or friendly action since early July last year.

It is only the second defeat Al Hilal have suffered since the Italian took charge, and the first in any format in 53 games, a sequence that had become a historic landmark for both club and coach.

Run ends after more than a year

Al Hilal’s previous loss under Inzaghi came on 4 July last year, when they were beaten 2-1 by Brazilian side Fluminense in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

Following that defeat, Al Hilal embarked on a 53-match unbeaten run in all competitions and friendlies with Inzaghi on the touchline. That sequence comprised 48 competitive fixtures and five friendlies, none of which ended in defeat until the reverse against MC Alger.

Wednesday’s result in Austria therefore brought to a close a run that had stretched across domestic, continental and international commitments.

Asian exit came without a defeat in open play

Despite that long unbeaten stretch, Al Hilal did suffer a notable setback in the AFC Champions League Elite, where they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Al Sadd.

The tie finished 3-3 after both normal time and extra time, before Al Hilal went out on penalties. As a result, the exit did not count as a defeat in regulation or extra time and the unbeaten sequence in open play remained intact until the MC Alger match.

Silverware and near miss in the league

Inzaghi took over Al Hilal at the start of their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 campaign and has already delivered major silverware, guiding the club to the King’s Cup (Crown Prince Cup of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques) title.

However, Al Hilal missed out on the Saudi Pro League crown under his leadership, finishing behind city rivals and traditional adversaries Al Nassr in the title race, despite completing the league campaign without losing a single match.

The defeat to MC Alger does not affect any official competition, but it brings an end to a notable personal and club record for Inzaghi and Al Hilal as they continue preparations for the new season.