Saudi Pro League chief Mohammed Basrawi has assured Neymar that his injury-plagued spell in the Middle East "wasn't a disappointment".
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Article continues below
Article continues below
- Saudi chief backs Neymar after tough Al-Hilal spell
- Made just seven appearances across two seasons
- Neymar out of Brazil squad with a new thigh injury
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Neymar endured a nightmare journey in the Saudi Pro League following his high-profile move from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023. After appearing in just five matches in the 2023-24 campaign, the Brazilian suffered an ACL injury while on national team duty and was sidelined for more than a year. He returned to action for Al-Hilal in October 2024 but subsequently picked up yet another injury limiting his appearances to just two AFC Champions League matches in the 2024-25 season. In January 2025, the forward mutually terminated his contract with the Saudi champions and headed back to his homeland to sign for boyhood club Santos.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
While many consider the 33-year-old's move to the Middle East a complete disaster, the Saudi Pro League's general manager of marketing communications, Basrawi, assured Neymar that his time in Saudi Arabia was not a disappointment as injuries are part of football.
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WHAT MOHAMMED BASRAWI SAID
Speaking to , the Saudi official said: "Neymar came and went, and of course, he took many fans with him, who still follow him personally. But it wasn't a disappointment. What happened with Neymar is football, that's all. Injuries can happen. It was a serious injury at the start of his contract, and that can happen to anyone. We would have liked him to have played more, but that's football."
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WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?
Injuries continue to haunt the Brazil international as he has picked up a new thigh injury. Neymar was supposed to don the Selecao shirt after an 18-month hiatus in the March international break, however, his return to the national team has now been delayed.