Al-Ittihad wins King's Cup to complete domestic double
JEDDAH, May 31: Al-Ittihad added the King's Cup to its Saudi Pro League triumph, defeating Al-Qadisiyah 3-1 in front of 51,331 fans at Al-Enma Stadium, completing a historic domestic double.
Having secured the league title just days earlier, Al-Ittihad lifted the King's Cup for the first time since 2018, when it also won 3-1 over Al-Faisaly at the same venue.
The victory was powered by French striker Karim Benzema, who scored twice (34', 90+4'), while Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar added a third in the 43rd minute. Al-Qadisiyah's lone goal came from a penalty by Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (45+6). The team later went down to ten men after Argentine Ezequiel Fernandez received a second yellow card in the 81st minute.
The title marks Al-Ittihad's 10th King's Cup win and grants its international stars—Benzema, N'Golo Kanté, and Fabinho—a historic milestone in their club careers. According to Opta, Benzema secured the second domestic double of his career, the first being with Lyon in the 2007–08 season. Kanté and Fabinho, meanwhile, celebrated their first domestic double despite previous success in European and international competitions.
Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn also played a key role in the team's successful season, contributing goals and assists. However, his achievements in Saudi Arabia came amid ongoing tensions with Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman, who left him out of the national squad following his transfer to the Saudi league.
Bergwijn, excluded throughout the season, criticized Koeman's handling of the situation, stating last September: "I don't want to play under this coach again. He disrespected me and never gave me a chance to explain myself."
Following the double triumph, Bergwijn further addressed the issue, telling TV reporters: "Playing for the Netherlands is an honor, but the support from Al-Ittihad fans means more to me right now. My focus is here."
Although rumors persist about a possible return to the national team, Bergwijn's strained relationship with Koeman and continued criticism of the coach may complicate any comeback.
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