Neymar Jr has attacked French Ligue 1 and he claimed that the Saudi Arabia Pro League might be better.
The former FC Barcelona forward has insinuated the Saudi League is more decent than the French League and also emphasized that the high-profile players featuring in the Middle East have added to the standard in the growing division.
The 31-year-old became the league’s latest summer addition after he left Paris Saint Germain to be part of Al Hilal’s growing team in a deal worth 78 million pounds ending his stunning European football career.
Neymar Jr joined admirable players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane, as part of the development in the Middle East.
What happened to Neymar Jr?
The former Santos player was heavily criticized by fans in France in the previous year which prompted him to depart PSG following reports that he was not wanted at the club.
On Thursday, 7th of September, the Brazilian International was made to compare between the Saudi Pro League and French Ligue 1 during a press conference ahead of Brazil’s match on Friday, 8th of September.
Neymar Jr clarified the quality of capability in the Saudi top flight which makes it an influential league to be part of.
Speaking to reporters, Neymar said: “I assure you that soccer there (in Saudi Arabia) is the same. The ball is round, there’s a goal, and if you look at the names that have gone to the Saudi league. I don’t know whether it is better than the French league or not”.
“I want to win titles for Al-Hilal, my head won’t change much. Everyone said the same when I went to France (about competitiveness), and it was the place I was hit the most in my life”.
He added: “I am sure that it won’t be easy to win the Saudi championship, other teams got stronger, and have famous players. It will be very interesting and I am sure you will be watching”.
Neymar opted to end his career in France due to the interest he received from Saudi Arabia after six years of dominating play in France since moving there from Barcelona in a record-breaking £198 million transfer fee in the summer of 2017.
He left PSG with four years left on his contract but accepted a two-year deal with Al-Hilal at an estimated £130 million per year for a new challenge in the Middle East.
It must be admitted that Neymar did not have the best experience during his time in France. Injuries plagued him for the duration of his six seasons at PSG. He achieved several prizes, but it wasn’t enough for the ultra-devoted PSG fans.
The injury problems that plagued him for much of his time at PSG have also followed him to his new club side.
Despite being out for six months with an ankle injury, the 31-year-old was still selected to play for the Brazil national team.
However, Al-Hilal have continued to shine without him, currently leading the league table and remaining unbeaten through five league games thanks to the outstanding performance of former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Neymar is anticipated to be ready to make his Saudi debut very soon after acknowledging he was close to being ready before the international break.
What’s next for Neymar Jr?
The former Barcelona star is just a goal away from breaking Pele’s Brazil highest goal-scorer record and will be looking forward to reaching the milestone during the World Cup qualifier matches.
