In a strategic move by Saudi Arabia, Neymar Jr. was signed by Al-Hilal with the aim of helping the club win major titles and secure a spot in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. However, the Brazilian forward suffered a severe anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL), accompanied by a meniscus tear, which sidelined him for over a year. After months of uncertainty, the Brazilian star recently gave an interview to the French newspaper RMC Sport, revealing that he is preparing his return to the Brazilian national team.
“Next time, I’ll certainly be with my teammates, and I’m getting ready for it in any case. There’s nothing better than representing your country. We hope the team will improve, it’s evolving. We mustn’t forget that the team is young, we have potential and we need to exploit it as quickly as possible so that we can become a great team,” Neymar said.
His big signing by Al-Hilal and his subsequent injury were a disappointment for the Saudi club’s fans who thought that after this incident, Neymar would leave the club for Santos FC in Brazil. However, in the interview he confirms his desire to stay at the club to have a good season and play in the Club World Cup with Al-Hilal:“I’d like to play in the 2025 Club World Cup with Al-Hilal, because it’s very important for the club”.
For many Brazilian fans, Neymar Jr is not yet a legend of his national team and has some players above him due to the fact that he has yet to win a World Cup. In his last interview with RMC Sport made a major announcement by declaring his desire to play it for the fourth time.
Match between Brazil and Bolivia in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Belem (PA), 09 08 2023 ELIMINATORIES WORLD CUP BRAZIL BOLIVIA Neymar Jr of the Brazilian team scores and celebrates his second goal in a match between Brazil and Bolivia, in the first round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, in the Jornalista Edgar Proenca State Stadium (Mangueirao), in Belem, Para, this Friday, September 8, 2023. (Foto: Leco Viana Thenews2 imago images) SPO Copyright: xLecoxVianax
Neymar Jr expresses his happiness in Saudi Arabia: No regrets about leaving PSG
Neymar Jr’s departure from Paris Saint-Germain was quite stormy as the player tried to leave the club on previous occasions without success. Then, a dispute with Kylian Mbappe and leaks from the club led to protests by Parisian fans to pressure him to leave the club: “It was a really complicated situation. I was saddened by the way I was treated at the end, but it’s over now. I respect the PSG club and I’ll always support them so that they get the best results. I don’t have any resentment towards the club, I just have a bit of resentment towards the people who run the club and a few supporters. But that’s in the past.” affirmed the Brazilian star.
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Nevertheless, Neymar claims to have a mix of good and bad memories at PSG: “I think I was at the peak of my career. And bad, because I was injured for a long time and often… I didn’t finish a season. So there was some sadness…playing in Ligue 1 was a really good experience, and the fans were great with me. I wrote my own history in Ligue 1, which was great for my career.”
His departure was confirmed in 2023 when he accepted an offer from the Saudi Arabian league to join Al-Hilal. This transfer caused uproar among soccer fans who criticized his decision because they felt that he would also be unhappy there and lower his level of play. However, Neymar said he was very happy to represent Al-Hilal: “I’m really happy here. And all the players who want to come here are surprised by the level or even some very positive aspects of this championship,” expressed the Brazilian star.
