Some fans were surprised and disappointed by Neymar’s decision to relocate to Saudi Arabia, while followers of Al-Hilal are overjoyed.
Al-Hilal supporters flocked to the airport to greet Neymar upon his arrival in Riyadh. The Brazilian mega star announced his arrival in Saudi Arabia with a video broadcast by the club’s media.Neymar is the latest star player to leave their European clubs for a team in the Saudi Pro League. Malcolm, Ruben Neves, and Kalidou Koulibaly are just a few of the players the former Barcelona winger will be playing alongside.
Neymar lands in Saudi ahead of unveiling ceremony
On Friday, Neymar arrived in the oil-rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia amid considerable fanfare. He is the latest high-profile attraction to the country.
Extra security was in place at the airport in Riyadh for the arrival of the 31-year-old Brazilian forward who will be introduced as a member of Al-Hilal on Saturday after spending the previous six seasons with French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
A big diamond-studded crucifix hung around Neymar’s neck as he posed for photos with club executives and the press in an airport lounge.
On Saturday, he will be presented in front of thousands of supporters at Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium.
An unnamed al-Hilal official added, “We will hold a big party worthy of the samba dancer.” The individual was not authorized to speak to the press.
According to sources close to the situation, Neymar will be paid somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 million euros every season during his two-year contract with Al-Hilal.
In doing so, he joins the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane in leaving Europe for the Saudi Pro League.
Despite winning five Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups during his time with PSG, Neymar’s tenure there was marred by a series of ailments that limited him to just 173 appearances and 118 goals.
Despite his contributions, the club ultimately lost the 2020 Champions League final, 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
In early March, he had surgery on his right ankle and didn’t get back to PSG in time for their preseason tour of Asia.
Saudi Arabia, flush with oil money, has embarked on a buying spree of sporting properties as part of its strategy to diversify its economy and lure tourists and investors.
Newcastle United, an English soccer team, was purchased by the conservative monarchy in 2021, the same year that the country held its inaugural Formula One Grand Prix.
After considering a tri-continental edition with Egypt and Greece, Saudi Arabia, whose neighbor Qatar hosted the World Cup last year, is expected to bid for the tournament.
