Neymar makes HUGE claim about the Saudi Pro League after PSG exit
Tom Weber
- Updated: 8 Sept 2023 10:11 BST
- 4 min read
Neymar believes that the quality of the Saudi Pro League is comparable to that of Ligue 1.
Al-Hilal obliterated the Saudi transfer record when they signed the Brazil star from Paris Saint-Germain after he was deemed surplus to requirements. The Riyadh giants, one of the biggest and most decorated clubs in all of Asia, splashed some €90 million on the injury-prone 31-year-old.
They made Neymar the third-highest earner in football and this move also took the combined transfer fees he has commanded throughout his career beyond Romelu Lukaku's record.
READ: Neymar, Benzema & the 10 biggest Saudi Pro League transfers of the summer
PSG were happy to bank €90m for a player they had already been told to offload the season prior by star man Kylian Mbappe despite it representing a significant loss on their original world-record outlay of €222m.
Neymar, for his part, hasn't held back when looking back at his stint at PSG, claiming that he and Lionel Messi 'went through hell' during their time in France's capital. Now, he has even asserted that the Saudi Pro League and Ligue 1 are comparable.
What did Neymar say?
Speaking while on international duty with Brazil, 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 [about competitiveness] when I went to France, and it was the place I was hit the most in my life."
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"I am sure that it won't be easy to win the Saudi championship, other teams got stronger, have famous players. It will be very interesting and I am sure you will be watching."
