Football/Al Hilal: Neymar speaks out after his long-awaited return
It’s a big day for all lovers of joga bonito. The legend Neymar has made his return to the pitch with Al Hilal in the Asian Champions League. This much-anticipated comeback was filled with emotion for the former PSG star.
The wait was long, but it’s now over. After more than 370 days away due to a torn cruciate ligament and meniscus, Neymar has made his grand return to the field this Monday during a match against Al Ain in the Asian Champions League.
The Brazilian star came on as a substitute and played about thirty minutes, including extended stoppage time. His team emerged victorious with a score of 4-5. Since then, tributes and heartfelt messages have been pouring in from international media and across social media platforms.
Several players, including Thiago Silva, Richarlison, Rafael Leão, Lucas Paquetá, and Raphinha, reacted by reposting on their stories the Saudi club’s announcement celebrating the return of the former Santos star to competitive play.
After the match, coach Jorge Jesus commented on this very special day for Neymar and the entire Al Hilal community, who had eagerly awaited months to see their star back in action: “I brought him on while the team was ahead, so he could take advantage of the spaces left by the opponent. Neymar needs to gradually participate until he reaches peak fitness”.
With 30 minutes on the field, the former Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona player had a solid debut, especially since he came very close to scoring with his only shot. This bodes well for the rest of the season. After the match, the Brazilian shared his first impressions: “I feel good. It’s very difficult; I always have a great team with me, but I’m very happy. I’m back”, Neymar stated, still on the pitch, at the microphone of Al Hilal’s official X account.
With this victory, the Saudi team maintains a 100% win record in the Asian Champions League this season, remaining at the top of Group B with 9 points from three matches. Now, the club known as Al-Za’eem has some good news.
It’s worth noting that despite Neymar’s absence, Al Hilal managed to secure the Saudi Arabian championship, also winning the King’s Cup and the Saudi Super Cup, while reaching the finals of both the Arab Club Champions Cup and the Asian Champions League. This status and throne are what the Al Hilal management aims to preserve.
