Ali Al Bulaihi

Ali Hadi Mohammed Al-Bulaihi (; born 21 November 1989) is a Saudi Arabian professional football player who plays as a centre-back for Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab.

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

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

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.

On 1 February 2026, Al-Bulaihi joined Al-Shabab on loan for six-month. On 30 August 2026, he departed Al-Hilal following a contractual settlement. Two days later, he returned to Al-Shabab, signing a one-year contract.

International career

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

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.

Career statistics Club

Honours

Al Hilal Saudi Pro League: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24 Kings Cup: 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24 Saudi Super Cup: 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024 AFC Champions League: 2019, 2021

Individual AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 2023