Neymar joins the list of world-famous soccer stars recently moving to Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian star was presented as the newest player of Al Hilal, where he will play alongside Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, other renowned players who chose to play in the Saudi Pro League.
The 31-year-old arrives from Paris Saint Germain (PSG), the club that turned him into the most well-paid soccer player of all time when he left Barcelona for the famous figure of 222 million euros ($242 million). After six seasons at the French club, where he accumulated 118 goals and 14 titles, he left Europe behind to embark on a new adventure.
"I'm here in Saudi Arabia. I'm at Al Hilal," Neymar said in his presentation video, which quickly went viral on social media. The Arab club paid 100 million euros($109 million) for his signing, although the money doesn't stop there. According to Fabrizio Romano, a sports journalist expert in the transfer market, the former Santos would pocket 300 million euros ($327 million) for the two years of the contract he signed, a number that could rise to 400 million euros ($436 million) if he meets certain objectives.
🎬 “O talento maravilhoso… que atrai a atenção de todos” @neymarjr 💙#نيمار_هلالي #الهلال pic.twitter.com/TTzADrVGJJ
— نادي الهلال السعودي (@Alhilal_FC) August 15, 2023
"I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain, nor what he brought to our club and our project over the last six years. We have lived extraordinary moments and Neymar will always be part of our history. I would like to thank him and his family. We wish Neymar all the best for the future and his next adventure," said Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, PSG chairman and chief executive.
Although Neymar won various championships in France, where he delighted the public with his characteristic colorful game, he failed to win the UEFA Champions League, a competition for which he was specifically hired. He came very close in 2021 when PSG reached the final against German team Bayern Munich. The match was very even and hard-fought, but a solitary goal by Kingsley Coman tipped the balance in favor of the German side.
Here to shine ✨
“Neymar” in the famous BLUE and WHITE 🔵⚪️#Neymar_Hilali 🤩💙 pic.twitter.com/xfWQHPsgTF
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) August 15, 2023
A curious detail in Neymar's contract
The former Barcelona striker is among social media's most followed athletes. By January 2023, only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi surpassed him in followers when taking into account Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The Arabs are well aware of this, so they have included a subtle bonus in his contract every time he uses a particular phrase.
Whenever Neymar names Saudi Arabia in a post, he will receive 500,000 euros ($545,000). Therefore, it won't be surprising if the Brazilian intensifies his presence across social media platforms.
Soccer stars in Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad)
Sadio Mane (Al Nassr)
Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli)
Ngolo Kante (Al Ittihad)
Sergej Milinkovic- Savic (Al Hilal)
Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nassr)
Roberto Firmino (Al Ahli)
Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli)
Ruben Neves (Al Hilal)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal)
Jordan Peterson (Al Ettifaq)
Fabinho (Al Ittihad)
Seko Fofana (Al Nassr)
Allan Saint-Maximin (Al Ahli)
