After making a high-profile move to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr has been sidelined due to an injury issue, delaying his highly-anticipated debut match date in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus revealed that Neymar arrived at the club injured and has yet to begin training with his new teammates.
Neymar Jr Al Hilal Saudi Pro League debut match date, injury update, salary, contract details and religion
Neymar Jr.’s recovery timeline
“Neymar arrived injured, he has a small muscular problem. I don’t know when exactly he will return and be ready to play and train normally. He shouldn’t be available to the Brazilian national team and shouldn’t travel to join them. He is in rehab now,” said Jesus.
According to reports, Neymar Jr will draw a monstrous salary of around USD 300 million (RM1.3 billion approx.) per year from the Saudi Pro League club and if commercial deals with the club are factored in, the Brazilian’s annual earnings could amount to a whopping USD 400 million (RM1.8 billion approx.) and the contract will see him stay at the Riyadh-based club for two years.
In addition, for each match he features in that Al Hilal wins, Neymar Jr will receive a bonus of approximately USD 87,000 (RM400k approx.) and will also receive around USD 543,200 (RM2 million approx.) for each post on social media from his account which promotes Saudi Arabia. Forget raining money.
According to reports, the Al-Hilal medical team expects him to recover from his injury during the international break. Consequently, Neymar Jr. could make his long-awaited debut in the Al-Hilal squad that faces Al-Riyadh on September 15.
The 31-year-old forward hasn’t played any club soccer since Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) 4-3 victory over Ligue 1 side Lille. Neymar Jr. suffered an ankle injury and underwent surgery. Recurring injuries, particularly to his ankle, have plagued Neymar’s career, often resulting from the high volume of tackles he faces. These injuries have reportedly hindered the Brazilian from fully realizing his potential.
Neymar’s grandiose welcome at Al-Hilal
Neymar’s arrival at Al-Hilal was met with great fanfare. Thousands of fans gathered at the King Fahd International Stadium to welcome the former Barcelona and PSG superstar as he stepped out in Al-Hilal’s blue kit.
The Riyadh night sky was illuminated with fireworks as Neymar walked onto the pitch, waving to his supporters. A drone display spelled out “Neymar is blue” above the King Fahd Stadium. The crowd went into a frenzy at the sight of the Brazilian maestro, who was unveiled alongside new signings Malcolm and Yassine Bounou.
Neymar’s massive contract
Neymar joined the Saudi club on a lucrative contract that could net him $400 million over two years, considering all add-ons. At PSG, he scored an impressive 118 goals in 173 matches. Despite being linked with a return to his former club, Barcelona, and other European clubs, Neymar chose to join the Saudi Pro League, following the footsteps of many other soccer stars.
Saudi Arabian clubs have made significant investments this summer, signing high-profile players like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Jordan Henderson, Ruben Neves, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino. Cristiano Ronaldo paved the way for the influx of soccer stars to the Saudi Pro League when he joined Al-Nassr earlier this year after his stint at Manchester United.
As the Saudi Pro League continues to attract world-class talent, fans eagerly await Neymar’s debut for Al-Hilal and the impact he will have on the league and his new team.
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