Neymar has explained that Cristiano Ronaldo led the way for a multitude of stars to join
the Saudi Arabian league this year after completing his transfer to Al-Hilal
Neymar
believes Cristiano Ronaldo has been proven right by his January move to Saudi Arabia as
he suggested that the nation’s league is more competitive than Ligue 1.
The Brazilian
superstar is now earning a huge £2.5million a week contract with Al-Hilal – who
previously tried and failed to sign Kylian Mbappe – after joining the Riyadh club from
Paris Saint-Germain. He joins former Premier League men Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben
Neves at his new club.
PSG had been looking to offload Neymar since the spring, as
reported by Mirror Football at the time. His exit comes not long after the Parisian
side lost another member of their star-studded attack, with Lionel Messi moving to
Inter Miami.
The motivation for Neymar to move to the Middle East nation was obvious;
not only were PSG keen to offload the player and bagged a £77m transfer fee into the
bargain, the player is now earning an annual salary of £129m which solidifies his
status as one of the best-paid players in world football.
He has now also claimed that
the Saudi league’s supposed ‘competitiveness’ was a key factor behind his decision to
seal the deal. He explained how Ronaldo had been proven right by moving to the nation,
while not explicitly suggesting that Ligue 1, which he leaves behind in France, did not
have the same level of competition.
“I am there to help the league grow more and more.
They are already changing a lot, they have made a lot of signings,” Neymar told
Al-Hilal’s club channel. “The league will be very competitive, especially after the
signings made in this summer transfer window.
“I believe competitiveness is important,
that’s why I am joining this league. It is a very different switch but a new challenge.
I believe Cristiano Ronaldo started all of this and everybody called him 'crazy', and
this and that, today you see the league more and more.
Have Your Say! Should Neymar
have stayed in European football ? Tell us what you think here.
Image: AlHilal/Anadolu
Agency via Getty Images) AlHilal/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“It is exciting
meeting top-quality players on the other teams. It thrills you, motivates you to play
even better. It is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, Firmino, the excitement is
even greater. I am very happy to join this league, facing them will be
wonderful.”
Neymar, 31, suffered another campaign blighted by injuries last time out.
He had been one of PSG’ss top earners who carried a high status, while he remains the
most expensive player in the world following his £198million switch to Paris from
Barcelona in 2024.
The Brazilian has netted 118 goals in 173 appearances for the French
club but there had been a lingering sense that he has failed to hit the huge
expectations that many predicted due to his world-record price tag and failure to land
a European title in Paris.
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