Al-Hilal FC Riyadh - Asia’s Club of the 1st Decade

Al-Hilal FC Riyadh, Asia’s Club of the 20th Century, is now also Asia’s Club of the 1st Decade of the 21st Century. Placed at No. 3 till the year 2009, subsequent to FK Pakhtakor Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Al-Ittihad Club Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), The Saudi Club manages to topple the ranking, thanks to the early elimination of Pakhtakor FK Tashkent and Al-Ittihad Jeddah from the national Cups of their respective countries and from the AFC Champions League in 2010.

At the end of 2010, Al-Hilal FC Riyadh was comfortably placed at the top with 8130 points, 58 points clear of the Uzbek Club who left the Al-Ittihad Club Jeddah 200 points behind at 7775. Following these Middle East Clubs are clubs from the Far East, FC Gamba Osaka (Japan), Kashima Antlers FC (Japan), Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma FC (S.Korea), Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC (S.Korea).

Till 2009, FK Pakhtakor Tashkent (Uzbekistan) was 21 points clear of the Saudi clubs Al-Ittihad Club Jeddah and Al-Hilal Riyadh. The three are followed at some distance by the Japanese and South Korean top clubs FC Gamba Osaka, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma FC, Kashima Antlers FC (Ibaraki) as well as FM Sepahan Isfahan (Iran), Al-Ain SCC (UAE), and Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC (Republic of Korea), all of which were 31 points within each other.

Because of the mentioned low point differences in the last year of the 1st Decade, there were additional changes of position among the "Top 10" and even extremely much in the total Asian club ranking. Among the "Top 10" are two clubs each from Saudi Arabia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Surprisingly, the disband Mahindra United FC was the top ranked club from India placed at 39 followed by East Bengal at rank 50. Seven ranks below them were their arch rival Mohun Bagan at 57 while two more clubs from India- Churchill Brothers and Dempo Sports Club featured in the top 100.