Brazilian soccer star Neymar leaves Saudi Arabian league after a 17-month stint filled with injuries and minimal play, returning to his roots at Santos.
Once heralded as one of the greatest soccer players in the world, Brazil‘s Neymar has left the Saudi Arabian league after a 17-month stint filled with injuries and minimal play.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team.
Born on February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Neymar began his youth career at Portuguesa and later joined Santos FC.
He won two Copa Libertadores titles and was named the South American Footballer of the Year three times.
In 2013, he moved to Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee, and in 2017, he signed with Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million.
Key Points About Neymar’s Departure
- Al-Hilal, the Saudi Arabian club that signed Neymar back in 2023, announced in a statement Monday that it had reached a mutual agreement with him to terminate his contract before its expiration date later this year.
- The 32-year-old player made the move for a reported $100 million yearly salary, despite only playing seven games and scoring one goal during his entire tenure there.
Return to Santos
The club president of Santos, the team where Neymar first made his debut as a professional athlete back in 2009, announced the superstar’s homecoming early Tuesday on social media. ‘It is time to come back,’ wrote Marcelo Teixeira, confirming what Brazilian soccer fans and media had been suspecting since he announced his departure from Al-Hilal.
Neymar himself posted a message of gratitude to his social media on Tuesday, thanking his former team and fans for their support. ‘I gave everything to play and I wish we enjoyed better times on the pitch together ..‘ he wrote.
