Al Hilal sit top of the Saudi Pro League with a perfect record, and their 2-0 win at Al Shabab on September 4 confirmed they are the team to beat this season. Goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves sealed the Riyadh derby victory and kept the club three points clear of Al Nassr, who have played one game fewer. Across five matches, Al Hilal have scored 17 goals and conceded just three, a return that reflects genuine attacking depth across the squad.

The start of the season carries extra significance given last year's disappointment. Al Hilal lost the league title to Al Nassr and were eliminated from the AFC Champions League Elite in the round of 16, making this campaign a direct response to those setbacks. The squad has been rebuilt with that in mind, most notably through the signing of Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal for £60 million, a deal that drew attention after the Brazilian winger pointedly omitted manager Mikel Arteta from his farewell message.

Off the pitch, club president Prince Nawaf bin Saad found himself at the centre of a financial governance dispute after comments about the club's financial statements prompted criticism and questions about the source of funding for the summer transfer activity. Al Hilal issued an official statement defending their financial procedures and governance standards.

With the AFC Champions League Elite campaign beginning on September 15 against Al Gharafa, and a home Saudi Pro League fixture against Neom SC on September 7 next up, Al Hilal face a busy stretch that will test whether this early momentum is built to last.