Neymar Jr has credited Cristiano Ronaldo for the recent flux of top players to the Saudi Pro League after the Brazilian superstar became the latest high-profile name to move to the Middle East.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr at the start of 2023 on a free transfer after Manchester United and he parted ways on mutual consent in December 2022.
Saudi Pro League clubs have since signed a number of high-profile players, including Karim Benzema, who left Real Madrid to sign for Al-Ittihad on a staggering contract that makes him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world.
Another Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal completed the signing of Neymar Jr from Paris Saint-Germain for a transfer fee of about €90m. Al Hilal have also signed Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Malcom, and Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window of 2023.
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Neymar Jr excited to face Cristiano Ronaldo and other top-quality players in Saudi Pro League
Following the completion of his move to Al Hilal, Neymar Jr said Cristiano Ronaldo started all of this, crediting the Portuguese superstar for the recent flux of high-profile players to the Saudi Pro League.
“I believe Cristiano Ronaldo started all of this and everybody called him ‘crazy,’ and this and that,” Neymar said [via ESPN] following his move to Al Hilal. “Today you see the league grow more and more.
“The league will be very competitive, especially after the signings made in the summer transfer window. I believe competitiveness is important. That’s why I am joining this league. I am driven by challenges. I am there to help the league grow.”
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He added: “I am very excited to write a new story chasing all the objectives with the club and my teammates — winning more and more titles and fulfilling the club’s ambition. I am very excited in that regard.”
Neymar and Al Hilal will come up against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Karim Benzema’s Al-Ittihad in Saudi Pro League, and the Brazilian is excited to face top-quality players.
He said: “It is exciting, meeting top-quality players on the other teams thrills you, and motivates you to play even better. And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, and Firmino, that the excitement is even greater.
“So I am happy to join this league, facing them will be wonderful, it will be fantastic. Of course a lot of Brazil will be watching the league. Obviously, I will be there and I expect all Brazilians and everybody following the league to support Al Hilal.”
