Al-Hilal CEO fires shot at Neymar after Saudi Pro League exit

The Brazilian star left Al-Hilal making only seven appearances for them.

After Neymar’s release, Al-Hilal CEO Esteve Calzada has taken a cruel jab at the Brazilian star, saying he is “no longer capable” of performing.

Neymar, former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star, had his contract with the Saudi Pro League team terminated after featuring in just seven games. He was sidelined for a year due to damage to his knee ligament, and his fitness issues were unsolvable.

Since then, Neymar has gone back to Santos, where he first found his professional spark. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal are trying to move on from a tragic transfer. They think the player who previously competed for the Ballon d’Or against Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would never be the same.

Calzada has told Suddeutsche Zeitung: “I am very sorry that we were never able to count on Neymar. As soon as he arrived, he ruptured his cruciate ligament. His departure is further proof that we at Al Hilal are looking for and need players capable of delivering maximum performance.

“As much as Neymar contributed to our marketing success , sporting performance comes first. And that’s when we came to the conclusion that he was no longer capable of delivering what we expected. The agreement to terminate his contract benefited all parties.”

The Saudi Pro League places restrictions on how many foreign players each side may have on its roster, which is another reason why Al-Hilal decided to cut ties with the Brazilian star. Calzada went on to say:

“The competition in our team is brutal. We have a limited number of places for foreign players and the players we have now are doing an excellent job. Neymar is not currently at the level to immediately deliver the performance we need to achieve our objectives.”

A move to join former Barcelona teammates Messi and Luis Suarez at MLS team Inter Miami had been rumoured, but Neymar signed a six-month first deal at Santos and stated his ambition to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.

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