Although Al Nassr boasts Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest scorer in the history of men’s football, it is Al Hilal who are firmly established as the top club in the Saudi game. During the time the Portugal captain has been playing in the Saudi Pro League – a competition he joined in 2022 in a deal that has paved the way for other major football stars to leave Europe for the Middle East – Al Hilal has been a virtually unstoppable domestic force.

Heading into matchday nine of the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League season, Al Hilal led the table with eight wins from eight, with ten-goal striker Aleksandar Mitrovic topping the scoring charts – ahead of not only Ronaldo, but also Al Ittihad’s Karim Benzema. And there is more good news for Jorge Jesus’ team, who they have now welcomed Neymar back from injuryfollowing the former Barcelona and PSG forward’s recovery from a cruciate ligament tear he suffered 12 months ago.

Al Hilal takes on Al Nassr in the heavyweight Saudi Pro League bout

In one of the most attractive clashes in the Saudi game, Al Hilal Take on Al Nassr on Friday, in a game that will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the league title race. Furthermore, Ronaldo goes into the match looking to recover from his penalty miss in a King’s Cup tie against Al Tawawoun in midweek. The 39-year-old’s failed penalty in the 96th minute of the last 16 match meant a 1-0 defeat for Al Nassr.

While Al Hilal prepares to battle Ronaldo and Co. in Riyadh, the question on the lips of many football fans is: he has regained fitness and was even able to appear as a substitute in the second half in his team’s AFC Champions League match with Al Ain on October 21 will Neymar take on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner? The answer, unfortunately for fans of Al Hilal and their star player, is no.

Given the severity of Neymar’s injury, Al Hilal have not registered the 32-year-old for action in the Saudi Pro League before the season started in August. In the domestic top flight, he will not be eligible to play for the 19-time Saudi champions until January, when the registration window opens again.

Al Nassr vs Al Hilal: start time, how to watch

The Match Day 9 of the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League between Al Nassr and Al Hilal will take place at Al Awal Park at King Saud University on Friday, November 1, 2024, with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT. Viewers in the United States can watch the clash on Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Deportes and DAZN USA.

If you don’t have cable, you can stream Fox’s coverage live on the online platform fubowhich offers new users a free introductory trial.

While Al Hilal are at the top of the league, Al Nassr is third, six points behind the leaders – after five wins and three draws.