In a sly jab at his former team, Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar brazenly asserted that the Saudi Pro division might be superior to the French division.
Neymar ended a six-year career at PSG in August by signing a reputed €100 million (£86.3 million) contract with Al Hilal, becoming one of many well-known athletes to make the lucrative move to the Middle East this summer.
The 31-year-old signed a two-year deal earning £2.5 million every week, along with numerous other financial perks like an alleged extra payment for each social media post endorsing the nation.
The Brazilian is rumored to have asked for a 25-room estate, nine automobiles, eight housekeepers to keep the place immaculate, and all travel, dining, and lodging costs to be covered.
Even though Neymar hasn’t even stepped onto the Al Hilal field yet, he has already stated in a contentious interview that the league is “better” than Ligue 1.
“I can assure that the football in Saudi Arabia is the same,” Neymar told reporters on Thursday. “The ball is round, we have goal posts.”
“And I think that, for the names that went to Saudi Arabia… I wouldn’t be surprised if the Saudi league is better than the French,” he added.
There is no question that the level of competition within the league should spiral following an influx of superstars and managers into Saudi Arabia, though many fans remain sceptical of the quality.
Neymar also discussed his mindset and his ‘thirst for winning’, saying: “But, my head must be good, I must be happy, I must feel well.
“I know how to take care of myself, what I need to do to be in conditions to play a game. I have been living this for the last 15 years.
“There’s no secret. We have intense practice there, the thirst to win is still big, I want to win trophies with Al Hilal… it doesn’t change much.”
Al Hilal and Al Tawawon are presently tied for first place in the Saudi Pro League with 13 points each after five games played.
The team’s next opponent in the division is 15th-placed Al Riyadh, and Neymar, who is recovering from an injury, might make his debut there.
