This Wednesday evening, Neymar gave his first interview to the official Al Hilal website, his new club. The occasion for the Brazilian to pay tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was “the pioneer” of this move to Saudi Arabia.
Following the significant announcement of his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Al Hilal, Neymar had made a brief statement regarding his arrival in Saudi Arabia. This Wednesday, the internationally renowned Brazilian player spent more time in front of his new club’s cameras. It was an opportunity for him to address several broader topics, including his new life in the oil-rich state. “No, I didn’t start talking about life in Saudi Arabia. I had brief discussions with Telles, Malcom, but it had nothing to do with that,” he first explained, as relayed by Footmercato.
Then, Neymar paid tribute to the individual who was behind his journey to this prosperous period in Saudi Arabia: Cristiano Ronaldo. “It’s obviously a very different change, but it’s still a new challenge. Cristiano Ronaldo was the pioneer of all this, and at the beginning, everyone called him crazy, but today, you can see that the league is growing more and more. I’m here to help the league develop even further. It will be very competitive, even more so after the signings this summer. I’m excited to write a new chapter of history and to pursue all the goals with the club and my teammates,” he added.
Former PSG and FC Barcelona player then explained the quality of Al Hilal’s squad, which includes superstars like Kalidou Coulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, and Moussa Marega. “Having quality in the team is important; it helps you make certain decisions in your career, and obviously, that’s been the case in my life. Like I said, I’m excited to write a new story, to pursue all the goals with the club, and to help my teammates,” he shared.
Lastly, Neymar expressed his excitement about facing other stars in the league, including Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo: “I’m very happy to find quality players in other teams because it excites you, motivates you to play even better. When you face Ronaldo, Benzema, Firmino, the excitement is even greater. So, I’m very happy to enter this league, and I’m sure playing against them will be wonderful.”
