Reflecting on his departure from Chelsea, Kalidou Koulibaly has reaffirmed that his move to Al-Hilal was worth far more than just financial gain.
Kalidou Koulibaly’s stint at Chelsea was one of the most underwhelming chapters in the defender’s career, despite being heralded as the successor to Antonio Rudiger.
He made an immediate impact with a stunning volley against Tottenham in his home debut, but his form quickly mirrored the club’s instability. Throughout the 2022/23 campaign, Koulibaly struggled with the pace of the Premier League and frequent managerial changes, appearing 32 times across all competitions.
His time in London was further hampered by a hamstring injury sustained against Real Madrid, which effectively ended his season prematurely. By June 2023, just twelve months after his arrival, Chelsea’s new hierarchy prioritised a squad clear-out, selling him to Al-Hilal for £20 million.
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Kalidou Koulibaly delighted after leaving Chelsea
Speaking on the YouTube channel Carre, Kalidou Koulibaly holds no regrets after leaving Chelsea and paints Saudi Arabia in a more positive light than many.
Are you happy in Saudi Arabia? Is your family happy? Are you personally happy as a man and as a player?
“Very happy. Very happy to be there. I made a choice that I never regret. I made one of the best choices of my life at that moment, I think it was the best choice to make.
“I’ve come to live in a Muslim country , since I’m Muslim.
“It’s a culture that I’ve learned about, I’m learning about every day because I don’t live in a campervan, I actually live in a villa among the Saudis.”
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Kalidou Koulibaly’s stats since leaving Chelsea
Since joining Al-Hilal, Kalidou Koulibaly has enjoyed a trophy-laden resurgence in Saudi Arabia. He was a key part of the historic 2023/24 squad that secured a domestic double, winning both the Saudi Pro League and the King’s Cup. H
is success continued into 2025 with back-to-back Saudi Super Cup titles and a starring role in Senegal’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
And Koulibaly even got the praise of Chelsea fans for his performance during the Club World Cup.
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