Rabat – Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has said that Al Hilal are ready to take on the world’s best teams, including Real Madrid, at the upcoming Club World Cup 2025.
Speaking in an interview with FIFA, Bounou shared his excitement about playing in the tournament and expressed confidence in his team’s ability to make a strong impact.
Al Hilal, champions of Asia, will face a tough challenge in Group H, where they are drawn against Real Madrid, FC Salzburg, and CF Pachuca.
But Bounou, who has faced Real Madrid many times before while playing for Spanish clubs Girona and Sevilla, said his past experience gives him confidence. “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,” he said.
“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,” the player added.
The 2023 African Goalkeeper of the Year added that the Saudi Arabian team is motivated to go far in the competition. “We at Al Hilal are honored to participate in the first edition of the Club World Cup (in its new format). We look forward to delivering a performance worthy of Al Hilal,” he stated.
The upcoming Club World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded format featuring 32 of the world’s top clubs.
Bounou also spoke about the difficulty of the group stage and said he hopes to reach “a level I have never reached before” as a Moroccan player in this global competition.
The player also reflected on his experience at the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, where he helped Morocco reach the semi-finals for the first time in history. “The experience I have gained from it will be an additional factor that the team can capitalise on,” he said.
When asked whether he would like to face one of his old clubs, Wydad or Atlético, in the later rounds, Bounou laughed and said, “Honestly, I’d rather not face them, but I hope they reach the highest levels.”
