Ali Al-Bulaihi

Ali Al-Bulaihi
Al-Bulaihi with Saudi Arabia at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup
Personal information
Full name Ali Hadi Mohammed Al-Bulaihi[1]
Date of birth (1989-11-21) 21 November 1989[2]
Place of birth Najran, Saudi Arabia
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Al Hilal
Number 5
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Al-Amal
2014–2015 Al-Nahda
2015–2017 Al-Fateh 47 (1)
2017– Al Hilal 165 (17)
2026 → Al-Shabab (loan) 14 (2)
International career
2018–2024 Saudi Arabia 60 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 May 2026

Ali Hadi Mohammed Al-Bulaihi (Arabic: عَلِيّ هَادِي مُحَمَّد الْبُلَيْهِيّ; born 21 November 1989) is a Saudi Arabian professional football player who plays as a centre-back for Saudi Pro League Al Hilal.[4]

Club career

Al-Bulaihi started his career at Al-Amal where he spent three years before joining Al-Nahda in 2014.[5] On 23 July 2015, he joined Al-Fateh.[6]

Al-Hilal

On 21 June 2017, Al-Hilal signed Al Bulaihi on a free transfer. He signed a three-year contract with the club.[7]

In April 2024, in a derby match against rival team Al Nassr, he courted controversy after being elbowed by Cristiano Ronaldo following attempts to intimidate him, resulting in a red card for Ronaldo and a yellow card for Al-Bulaihi.[8]

Al-Shabab (loan)

On 1 February 2026, Al-Bulaihi joined Al-Shabab on loan for six-month.[9]

International career

Al-Bulaihi with Saudi Arabia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

In June 2018, Al-Bulaihi was named in Saudi Arabia's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[10] He made his debut in the competition against Uruguay.[11] In November 2022, he was called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[12] In the opening game, he played the whole match as his team defeated the eventual world champions Argentina 2–1.[13]

In January 2024, he drew criticism for shoving and grabbing the hair of South Korean player Son Heung-min, unprovoked, during the 2023 AFC Asian Cup round of 16. Al-Bulaihi had previously similarly taunted Argentine player Lionel Messi by slapping him on the back.[14][15]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 July 2025[16]
Club Season League King's Cup Asia Other Total
DivisionApps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Al-Fateh 2015–16 Saudi Pro League 24010—1[a]0260
2016–17 23120602[a]1332
Total 471306031592
Al-Hilal 2017–18 Saudi Pro League 50104[b]0—100
2018–19 253006[b]18[c]0394
2019–20 1426011[b]13[d]0343
2020–21 162006[b]100223
2021–22 223307[b]03[e]0353
2022–23 221215[b]04[f]0332
2023–24 3224012[b]18[g]0563
2024–25 264309[h]12[d]0405
Total 1621719165630027424
Career total 2091822171633133326
  1. 1 2 Appearance(s) in Saudi Crown Prince Cup
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appearances in AFC Champions League
  3. ↑ Six appearances in Arab Club Champions Cup, one appearance in Saudi Super Cup, one appearance in Saudi-Egyptian Super Cup
  4. 1 2 Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
  5. ↑ One appearance in Saudi Super Cup, two appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
  6. ↑ One appearance in Saudi Super Cup, three appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
  7. ↑ Six appearances in Arab Club Champions Cup, two appearances in Saudi Super Cup
  8. ↑ Appearances in AFC Champions League Elite

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 31 December 2024.[17]
Saudi Arabia
YearAppsGoals
2018110
201960
202020
202180
2022130
202371
2024131
Total602
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 8 September 2023St James' Park, Newcastle, England Costa Rica1–21–3Friendly
2 16 January 2024Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar Oman2–12–12023 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Al Hilal

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Ali Al-Bulaihi at Soccerway
  2. ↑ "FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019: List of Players: Al Hilal SFC" (PDF). FIFA. 5 December 2019. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "Ali Al-Bulaihi". Saudi Pro League. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "علي هادي آل بليهي - Ali Al-Boleahi".
  5. ↑ "النجم علي البليهي من ملعب نادي البكيرية إلى الملاعب العالمية".
  6. ↑ ""الفتح" يوقع مع "البليهي".. ويواجه "الترجي" ودياً غداً". 23 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "الهلال السعودي يعلن ضم مدافع الفتح". 9 July 2019.
  8. ↑ Butler, Alex (9 April 2024). "Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo red-carded for elbowing Saudi Super Cup soccer foe". Yahoo! Sport. UPI. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "رسميا.. علي البليهي ينضم إلى الشباب معارا من الهلال حتى نهاية الموسم".
  10. ↑ Soliman, Seif (4 June 2018). "Saudi Arabia announce final 23-man World Cup squad". kingfut.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  11. ↑ "Uruguay 1–0 Saudi Arabia". FIFA. 20 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "Renard announces the national team list for the World Cup 2022 in Qatar". Saudi Arabian Football Federation. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "'You won't win' - What Saudi Arabia defender Ali Al-Bulayhi said to Lionel Messi during shock victory over Argentina". Goal.com. 22 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Son Heung-min involved in clash with Saudi player who has already confronted Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo". SPORTbible. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "메시 도발했던 사우디 선수, 손흥민 머리채 잡고 황희찬 목 조르고". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Ali Al-Bulaihi". Soccerway.
  17. ↑ Ali Al-Bulaihi at National-Football-Teams.com
  18. ↑ "Al Hilal thrash Al Ittihad to win Saudi Super Cup". ESPN. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  19. ↑ "Team of the Tournament". Instagram.com. AFC Asian Cup. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
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