Neymar Departs Al-Hilal Amid Fitness Struggles

Neymar and Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal mutually agreed to terminate his contract. The 32-year-old Brazilian joined Al-Hilal in August 2023 for €90m (£77.6m) but only made seven appearances due to injuries. He remains the world’s most expensive player after his €222m (£200m) transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. This season, Neymar played just twice with his most recent appearance as a substitute in November.

He left Al-Hilal with seven months remaining on his two-year deal which reportedly paid him €150m (£129.2m) annually. Al-Hilal thanked Neymar for his contributions and wished him success in his career. Injuries heavily impacted Neymar’s time at Al-Hilal. He ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023 which kept him sidelined for an extended period.

He returned briefly in October 2024 but did not play again. Neymar began his career in the youth system at Santos where he scored 136 goals in 225 games. In 2013, he moved to Barcelona and won two La Liga titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup while scoring 186 goals in four seasons. In 2017, he set a world record with his transfer to PSG where he won five Ligue 1 titles.

After joining Al-Hilal, Neymar overtook Pelé to become Brazil’s all-time leading men’s scorer with 78 goals. However, he has not played for Brazil since his knee injury in 2023. Now strongly linked with a return to Santos, Neymar leaves Al-Hilal after aiming to “write new sporting history,” a goal hindered by persistent fitness issues and limited appearances.