Brazilian football star Neymar has ended his troubled 18-month tenure in Saudi Arabia, with his club, Al-Hilal, announcing that they have “mutually agreed to terminate the player’s contract.”
A statement from the club posted on social media expressed gratitude towards Neymar, stating: “The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for his contributions during his time with Al-Hilal and wishes him success in his future endeavors.”
The 32-year-old, a former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward, made only seven appearances since joining the Saudi side in August 2023, despite a reported annual salary of around $104 million.
Neymar’s transfer to Al-Hilal came after following fellow football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to the lucrative Saudi Pro League. However, his time in Riyadh was marred by injuries. Just two months after his arrival, Neymar suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Brazil in an October 2023 World Cup qualifier, sidelining him for nearly a year.
The Brazilian made brief returns in October and November 2023, but a subsequent hamstring injury kept him out of action, and he has not played since. Neymar has indicated his goal is to recover in time for the 2026 World Cup.
Al-Hilal’s coach, Jorge Jesus, recently noted: “He can no longer perform at the level we are used to. Unfortunately, things have become difficult for him.”
‘Last shot’ at World Cup glory
In January, Neymar confirmed his determination to play in the 2026 World Cup, acknowledging that it could be his last chance to compete on football’s biggest stage. “I know this will be my last World Cup, my last shot, my last chance, and I will do everything I can to play in it,” he told CNN.
While there has been interest from MLS clubs in the U.S., reports in Brazil suggest that Santos, the club where Neymar began his career, is in talks for a potential return to Brazil. A move back to his homeland would likely signal the final chapter of his illustrious career.
Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 127 appearances. He started his professional journey at Santos, where he scored 107 goals in 177 matches before joining Barcelona in 2013. At Barcelona, he became a key figure in a team that won the 2015 UEFA Champions League, alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
He later moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a world-record transfer fee of 220 million euros ($230 million), where he won five Ligue 1 titles and reached the Champions League final in 2020, though PSG lost to Bayern Munich. Despite a reunion with Messi in Paris, Neymar’s time at PSG was ultimately marred by internal tensions, and he was moved on to Saudi Arabia in 2023.
AFP
