Ramon Diaz: Lucky to train Al Hilal at the right time

Al Hilal Argentine coach Ramon Diaz admits that he is fortunate in training Al Hilal Saudi Arabia, which will compete in the Club World Cup final on Saturday for the first time in its history, because he arrived at a moment when the club wanted to rise to a higher level in light of the changes that Saudi football has witnessed in recent years. Diaz, 63, has been training Al Hilal for the second time, specifically since February 14, 2022, after a first period between 2016 and 2018.

He succeeded in leading “Al-Zaeem” to win the league championship and the local cup competition at the end of last season, and achieved a great achievement by leading his team to the final of the Club World Cup, which is currently being held in Morocco, by defeating Wydad Casablanca, the host and African champions, 5-3, on penalties in the second round, and then its resounding victory over Flamengo. Brazilian champion South America 3-2 in the semi-finals.

The capital team set a date in the final scheduled for Saturday with Real Madrid, the Spanish European Champion, who defeated Al-Ahly of Egypt, the runner-up in Africa, 4-1.
“I was lucky because I arrived at a moment when the club wanted to move to a higher level,” Diaz told FIFA. “Saudi football has changed a lot in all respects, especially in investing in its clubs.”

Survival mentality
He added, “In the beginning, each club was allowed to sign four foreign players, and now the number has increased to eight, so you can attract the best players here. Money is not a problem. The biggest difficulty is whether the player can adapt to the way of life and the high temperature. Things are be Difficult at times, but if I adapt and if I come with a survival mentality it will be easy.”

He considered that the elements of his team are ripe to win more titles after the experience they gained from participating in local and continental competitions and world championships. In the team they defend the colors of the national team.”

And the coach, who played as a striker in the ranks of River Plate, then Napoli, Avellino, Fiorentina, Inter, and then Monaco, continued, before concluding his career with Yokohama Marinos of Japan, “We are in a club competing for the most prominent titles with economic strength that allows him to sign the players he wants, the players are technically strong.” We have eight strong foreign players.”

“We have won all the titles in recent years, and therefore the aspirations are great for us,” said Diaz, who moved to training from the gate of his club, River Plate, without appearing on the European continent. And about his dreams with Al-Hilal concludes Diaz, who was crowned top scorer in the 1979 World Youth Cup when he won the title with the legend Diego Maradona, who was reported to have entered into disputes with him later that led to his exclusion from the 1986 and 1990 World Cups. “What I want more than anything else is to win more titles with him.” This club. I want to win the domestic league championship again, then we decide what to do next, but for the time being I focus on the present.
The present is not far away and is represented by a summit meeting with Real Madrid in the final, and if the Saudi club is destined to win the title, it will be the best gift for Diaz on the one-year anniversary of his assumption of the leader’s training for the second time in his career and to truly become the right man at the right time.