Aouar interview: 'It's a huge source of pride. I’ll remember it for rest of my life' | OneFootball

As debut seasons go, Houssem Aouar could not have asked for much better.

The Al Ittihad midfielder, a high-profile addition to the Roshn Saudi League last summer, didn’t take long to ingratiate himself with fans of his new club, scoring an injury-time winner against Al Kholood in the 2024-25 kick-off back in August.

Remarkably, Aouar followed that up with another decisive stoppage-time intervention, this time netting a last-gasp penalty to triumph at home to Al Taawoun. That even arrived four minutes later than his first, coming in the 98th minute.

And, if by his own admission, there were a few bumps on the road en route to RSL glory, ultimately Aouar proved instrumental in Al Ittihad’s march to the title.

With the dust settling on Monday’s final round of the 2024-25 season, the Algeria international ended on 12 goals and four assists from 30 league appearances – and a freshly minted winner’s medal around his neck.

Still, Aouar could close out the campaign with more silverware, with Friday’s King’s Cup final to come against Al Qadsiah.

However, before that, the SPL caught up with the former AS Roma star to chat about the championships success, fellow Olympique Lyon graduate Karim Benzema’s influence at Al Ittihad, answering his critics, and much, much more.

Take it away, Houssem.

On Al Ittihad's pre-season targets

“When I arrived here, the expectations were very clear - really very clear. I felt there were big ambitions here.

"The ambitions weren’t necessarily about doing better than last season [Al Ittihad, then RSL champions, finished a distant fifth] but, with all humility, they were about winning everything in the competitions we're involved in: winning the league, being competitive in the King’s Cup.

“We did it in the league, and now we're going to try to win every trophy, because we're competitive players. I feel that this is a club with great expectations, so it's perfect for us players.”

Check out the best images from Al Ittihad's title coronation

On transitioning to RSL

“To be honest, my adaptation wasn’t as easy as people might think. When you join a club that had a season like last year’s, you feel a bit of pressure - sometimes the wrong kind of pressure - within the club and the team.

“But I was lucky to be surrounded by players I already knew, including some who speak French, which made it much easier to integrate into the group. The coach and the staff, whom I know very well, also helped a lot.

“And especially Karim, our captain, who really made an effort to support me. I think the adaptation happened gradually. At first, it may have been a bit difficult, especially because it was such a big change. But in the end, everything went well.”

Houssem Aouar has 12 goals in his debut season in Saudi

On the Karim Benzema Effect

“As I’ve said and I’ll say again, for me it’s something incredible to play with him. It was one of the goals in my career, because ever since I was in the academy and in the [pre-academy] football school, I used to go watch him at the stadium.

“His influence has been essential to the team’s success this season. I don’t think we would’ve had the same season, or the same results, without Karim. That’s just the reality.

“He’s been hugely important because, whether it was at Real Madrid, at Lyon, or now here, he’s always won. So it’s not luck, it’s not a coincidence; he’s a true competitor.

“This season, I’ve had the chance to be around him every day, and you can see that he’s someone who’s here to win. You see it every day in training, in his unseen preparation.

"Honestly, it’s always a pleasure for us, especially for the younger ones, like Moussa Diaby. Since we were kids, we’ve watched him shine. It’s always incredible to play with a captain like him.

“He’s very demanding; first and foremost, he’s demanding with himself. I think that’s what’s important in a captain, and he does it really well. He holds himself to high standards.

"And he’s also demanding of his teammates, which I believe pushed us to stay focused on performance and, above all, to take the season seriously. That’s crucial when it comes to winning a league title, and he did it perfectly.”

Houssem Aouar cites Karim Benzema as a major reason Al Ittihad are champions

On Al Ittihad’s relentless resolve

“When we start the season, we start it to win. Of course, a season always has its ups and downs. But when you’re winning games in the final minutes, when you’re fighting until the end, you start to think: ‘This group has something - this team has something - special.’

“When you have players who never give up - like Karim, who kept telling us not to let go until the very last minute, that we would score - you start to believe maybe something is possible. There were several key moments that made us start dreaming of the title. And we’re really happy to have won it.”

On that massive win at Al Nassr

“The match against Al Nassr was the moment I told myself the title was ours. When you’re down 2–0 at half-time, a lot of people probably thought we had lost the game.

"But when we got into the dressing room, our captain spoke to us: he told us it was going to be OK, to trust ourselves. That was really important for us.

“The coach also had a calm, reassuring message for the group. Coming back to 2–2 and winning that match, once again in the final minutes, it was something incredible, especially away at Al Nassr, one of the big teams in the league.

"After that match, we said to ourselves: ‘There are six points left. It’s in our hands. We’re going to go get that title’. For me, that was the match that gave us the title.”

On what winning RSL means

“Winning a league title, this is the first time for me. It’s always a powerful feeling. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, for the rest of my career.

"It’s been a long journey, and winning a league is one of the hardest things to achieve because it rewards the strongest and most consistent team over an entire season, which makes sense.

“This season, we were the best team in Saudi Arabia. I’m very proud to have won my first league title with Al Ittihad, and I’ll never forget this championship with this club and its fans who supported us. It’s a huge source of pride for me.”

On answering his critics

“There are always critics in football; there always will be. The criticism was pretty strong when I first arrived. It’s never easy to deal with, but I think you need the character to rise above it and, more importantly, to face it head-on.

“A lot was said, including someone who claimed that Al Ittihad wouldn’t win the league with me. Honestly, the best way to respond to criticism is on the pitch. That’s why, in terms of settling in, it became easier thanks to the players and staff I already knew.

“It was a bit tough at first, but the criticism faded as the performances improved. That’s just how football works. When the team performs and I perform, the fans start supporting you. And as I often say, it’s always a small minority that makes the most noise.

"I truly felt that the majority of the fans were behind me; that’s what I sensed every time I stepped onto the pitch. And that’s what helped me have a great season.”

On doing the double this week

“There’s still one last step: the King’s Cup final against Qadsiah. As I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, when I signed here, it was to win everything. I came to a club - and with the squad we have, of course - that matches my mentality.

Former teammates Nacho and Karim Benzema, two Real Madrid legends, will captain Al Qadsiah and Al Ittihad in the King's Cup final

“It’s also the mentality of the players I spoke with before coming here, especially Karim. When he talks to you, he makes it clear: if you’re coming here, it’s to win everything. The King’s Cup is the final step. We’ve won the league, we celebrated it properly, and we’re really happy.

“But now, as competitors, we know a final is something you have to win. We’re going to approach it with confidence, hopefully, because we deserve to be there. And above all, we’ll give it everything, so we have no regrets - because we want that victory.”

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To hear more from our chat with Aouar and get his thoughts on Al Ittihad’s “12th man”, why N’Golo Kante and Fabinho make his job easier, how Jeddah “moves to the rhythm" of his club and much more, check out the video below.