Adnan Jastaniah

Whisper of Truth

Between Mohammed Al-Abdullah and Mansour Al-Balawi: An Unforgettable Story of Loyalty

Published on July 23, 2026 at 00:01, and updated at the same time.

This initiative highlights an aspect of the historical relations between Saudi clubs and ruling families.

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Not all trophies are immortalized because they are lifted; some are immortalized because they are returned to their owners in a gesture that embodies loyalty, filial piety, and gratitude. Among such gestures is what Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, may God have mercy on him, did when he wrote a lesson in loyalty before it was merely a cup handover.

- May God have mercy on Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, one of the most prominent figures of Al-Ahli Club, whose memory is cherished by athletes, artists, and poets, and will remain eternal in the records of our sports history, not only in the history of Al-Ahli Club. He gave his club his precious love, passion, struggle, and support, and was distinguished by his kindness and purity of heart. No wonder, as he is the son of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal, and as the saying goes: 'This cub is from that lion.'

- One of the most beautiful traits known about Abu Turki was his great dedication to filial piety toward his father, may God have mercy on him, during his lifetime. Perhaps what is being discussed today about the legacy of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal, and the draft book that our dear colleague Salih Al-Amoudi is preparing to document some of his achievements, brought back to my memory one of the most wonderful acts of piety and loyalty that Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah embodied toward his father.

Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah was keen to hand over the Ministry of Interior Cup, which he had kept for nearly fifty years, to the then-president of Al-Ittihad Club, Mansour Hamdan Al-Balawi, at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal's palace in the presence of a crowd of journalists and media figures.

- I was a witness to this historic moment, due to my work as director of the media center of Al-Ittihad Club at the time. This moment has never left my memory or my conscience to this day, for two reasons: The first reason is that Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah did not look at the cup as a silver piece, but rather saw it as an opportunity to see a smile on his father's face as he witnessed the return of a historical trust to its owners.

As for the second reason, it lies in the touch of loyalty and appreciation that Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah showed toward Al-Ittihad Club, represented by its president Mansour Al-Balawi, who recognized the status of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal as a pioneer of the Saudi sports movement, and thus ensured that his picture was included in the Al-Ittihad Club museum in appreciation of his historical role.

- This was not baseless, but stemmed from a fact known to those close to him: that Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal's early passion for football and his sporting inclinations were with Al-Ittihad Club, before the establishment of Al-Ahli Club. This information was confirmed by Professor Talaat Lami, former president of Al-Ittihad Club, in a video statement published by Al-Ittihad Club on the (X) platform months ago, where he said that his father used to take him to the stadium, accompanied by Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal, who supported Al-Ittihad before his association with Al-Ahli.

- Hence came the initiative of Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah in loyalty to the stance of Al-Ittihad supporters toward his father. He invited Mansour Al-Balawi and a number of Al-Ittihad figures to Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal's house to hand over the cup personally, in a scene that carried meanings of loyalty and mutual respect, closing a chapter that spanned decades and opening a new page of friendship and appreciation between Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli supporters, in one of the most beautiful sports and humanitarian initiatives.

- Since that day, a question has remained in my mind: Why did Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah insist that the cup be handed over at his father's house, even though he could have sent it to Al-Ittihad Club's headquarters? In my estimation, the answer lies in the desire of the devoted son to bring joy to his father's heart, in his final years and during his illness, and to experience with him that historic moment that would bring back a dear era of his sporting life. So that initiative was the greatest gift a son could give to his father.

- As we recall today the blessed biography of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal and his son Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah, may God have mercy on them, the memory of that occasion will remain a testament to the deeds of the departed, and also a witness to a noble stance that is also credited to the former president of Al-Ittihad Club, Mansour Al-Balawi, who was not prevented by the intensity of competition between Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli from preserving the status of the pioneer of the Saudi sports movement and honoring him by placing his picture at the forefront of the Al-Ittihad Club museum.

- This scene, in my estimation, is being repeated today in a different form; just as the Al-Ittihad supporters remembered the favor of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal, we see an Al-Ittihad journalist returning some of this loyalty by initiating the documentation of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal's memoirs and publishing what he was entrusted with, to preserve history and safeguard the biography of one of its most prominent figures, and so that this history does not become subject to distortion or tampering by those who did not experience it but only know it through hearsay or transmission.

- In conclusion... Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal has passed away, and his son Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah has passed away, but gestures remain truer than words because they are what make real history. That initiative will remain a lesson in filial piety, loyalty, and gratitude, before being merely a sports event or a cup handover.

This incident shows how Saudi sports are not just competitions, but a platform for loyalty and appreciation. It also reflects the close relationship between Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal and Al-Ittihad Club before the founding of Al-Ahli. It is worth noting that Prince Mohammed Al-Abdullah was known for his love and filial piety toward his father, which was evident in this stance. This story remains a lesson in sportsmanship and humanitarian ethics.