So said their poster boy, Cristiano Ronaldo, not so long ago, when he also claimed that the Saudi league had already overtaken Ligue 1 in terms of its competitiveness.
Al Hilal have won six of the last nine domestic league titles, but were pipped at the post this season just gone by Al Ittihad.
That failure to retain their title ultimately saw Jorge Jesus relieved of his duties, despite being the most successful manager in their history, winning 81 of his first 96 matches in charge.
Tough start for Inzaghi
Former Inter Milan coach, Simone Inzaghi, took his place soon after the Nerazzurri's embarrassing Champions League final collapse against Paris Saint-Germain, and it prompted questions as to whether his squad knew about the move ahead of the match.
“Today I heard - or heard about - all sorts of things, as has often happened during the four years I was at Inter,” the Italian said at a recent press conference.
“If this (questions regarding his integrity) was the price to pay for my four years at Inter, I’ll gladly pay it. But it’s nothing compared to the good I received from the entire Inter world - I mean the fans, the management, the players, everyone at Inter.
"I know I’ll miss it - I’ll miss everything, even this - even the most unfair accusations that were made over these four years. But I was truly happy. I gave my all."
Xabi Alonso also debuts in the dugout
Real Madrid will also have a new man in the dugout in Xabi Alonso, and the Spaniard will be looking to extend Los Blancos' dominance of the Club World Cup and win a record sixth title.
The two teams have met in the competition's previous guise, of course, with the LaLiga giants coming out on top in a 5-3 win in the 2022 final - their only previous meeting to date.
Goals might well be a feature in this one too, given that Real's last four matches at the Club World Cup have seen more than three goals scored and both teams getting on the score sheet.
In terms of momentum, too, the Spaniards have netted at least two goals in their last six competitive matches.
In the two previous games that Inzaghi has managed against Real and another against Alonso, he's lost each time, and his teams haven't even managed a single goal.
Al Hilal carry a decent striking threat
Clearly, then, the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic - 19 goals in 23 SPL games last season - and Marcos Leonardo - 17 goals in 24 games - are likely to play a very important part for Al Hilal, who might otherwise face an uphill struggle.
The Saudi giants are likely to be relieved to hear, too, that European Golden Boot winner, Kylian Mbappe, is unlikely to feature as he has a fever, whilst Vinicius Jr. is doubtful because of an injury.
Inzaghi's plans, however, could also be hit by the news that as many as six Al Hilal regulars could be ruled out.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to make his debut after Real came to an agreement with Liverpool to allow the right-back to leave the Reds early, and he'll line up alongside his England teammate, Jude Bellingham.
In a Madrid side that looked laboured at times during the 2024/25 campaign, both will be expected to inject some urgency into Real's play, and it would be a huge surprise if their opponents weren't overwhelmed at times.
That said, with 95 goals scored in the SPL last season - at least 15 more than any other side - Al Hilal are certainly capable of troubling a Real back line that proved to be brittle when put under pressure during the 2024/25 campaign.
Huijsen will have his hands full
Undoubtedly, the acquisition of Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth was a direct result of Real's defensive troubles, and he'll also pull on the white shirt for the first time in what could be a new-look lineup, at least for the opening game.
The elegant 20-year-old will certainly have his hands full against the likes of Mitrovic and Leonardo, however, stopping the supply line from Malcom, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Neves et al is equally as important if Real don't want to suffer what would be an embarrassing reverse, with the greatest respect to Al Hilal.
A win for either side will certainly put them in the box seat and also set down a marker for the rest of Group H's fixtures, which begin directly afterwards when Pachuca and RB Salzburg face off later in the day.
Follow Real Madrid vs Al Hilal with Flashscore's audio commentary.
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