Saudi Al Hilal Break World Record for Most Straight Wins in Pro Football: Sports History Remembers Bigger Streaks

Al Hilal SFC defeated arch-rivals Al Ittihad FC in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League to win their 28th straight game, shattering the record for the most consecutive victories in men’s football worldwide.

In the second leg of the quarter-finals of the most prestigious club competition in Asia, the Saudi Pro League team defeated Karim Benzema’s and N’Golo Kanté’s Al Ittihad 2-0 at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, as expected by values set by football’s best betting sites in 2024, and advanced to the semis. This victory broke The New Saints F.C.’s record of 27 straight victories during the 2016–17 campaign in the Welsh Premier League.

In the Saudi Pro League, Al Hilal, commanded by Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, leads Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr by 12 points despite the loss of star summer signing Neymar to an ACL injury in October.

Backed by Saudi State’s Public Investment Fund, Al Hilal Acquired Big Names in 2023

Together with Al Nassr, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad, the Riyadh-based club was one of four in the division that the Saudi state’s sovereign wealth fund (Public Investment Fund – PIF) acquired in June 2023.

Aleksandar Mitrović, a former striker for Fulham F.C. and Newcastle F.C., has been the main reason for their success; in league and continental tournaments, the Serbian international has scored 31 goals in 32 games. Mitrović’s fellow countryman Sergej Milinkovic-Savić (10 goals in as many matches, plus 29 assists), Portuguese Rúben Neves, and Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly have all contributed significantly to the outstanding run of play of Al Hilal.

The run consists of nine games in the Asian Champions League, three in the Saudi Cup, and 16 in the home league. Al Hilal’s most recent game without winning came on September 21 in a 1-1 draw with Saudi Pro League rival Damac FC. Al Hilal’s monstrous series began on September 25 in the King Cup.

In the semi-finals of the AFC CL, Marcelo Gallardo-coached side has an even tougher job as their rival is Al Ain FC, the best club from the United Arab Emirates, who eliminated Al Nasr FC (Ronaldo, Mané, Brozović…) in the quarter-finals.

Top 5 Greatest Winning Streaks in Professional Sports History

In sports, is there anything more satisfying than a winning streak? Everyone is enthralled with streaks, whether they are winning, losing, or hitting—and wants to see them end or continue.

Naturally, nothing compares to victory. Games, contests, and races; either alone or in teams. The ultimate kind of streaks are winning ones, and they occur in any kind of sport.

The greatest winning runs in sports history, top 5 actually, considering professional team sports only, are these ones:

(Spoiler: Al Hilal’s streak doesn’t rank in the top 5).

# 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, 112-Match Win Streak

• Sport: Women’s beach volley (international)
• Start of streak: August 24, 2007
• End of streak: August 31, 2008

# 2 USA National Team, 78-Match Win Streak

• Sport: Men’s basketball (international)
• Start of streak: September 2, 2006
• End of streak: August 24, 2019

# 3 Los Angeles Lakers, 33-Match Winning Streak

• Sport: Men’s basketball (NBA)
• Start of streak: November 5, 1971
• End of streak: January 9, 1972

# 4 Houston Rockets/Cleveland Indians, 22-Match Winning Streaks

• Sport: Men’s basketball (NBA)
• Start of streak: January 29, 2008
• End of streak: March 18, 2008

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• Sport: Men’s baseball (MLB)
• Start of streak: August 24, 2017
• End of streak: September 15, 2017

# 5 San Francisco 49ers/New England Patriots, 21-Match Winning Streaks

• Sport: Men’s American football (NHL)
• Start of streak: November 27, 1988
• End of streak: September 2, 1991

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• Sport: Men’s American football (NHL)
• Start of streak: October 5, 2003
• End of streak: October 31, 2004