One of the brightest players of his generation, 32-year-old Brazilian Neymar da Silva Santos, has agreed to terminate his contract with the Saudi club Al-Hilal by mutual consent. This move comes after an unfortunate period in his career where he played just seven matches in a year and a half due to injuries. In his eagerness to return to his hometown club Santos, Neymar made significant financial concessions, giving up at least $25 million owed to him under the contract.

Neymar joined Al-Hilal with high hopes but almost immediately faced problems: a torn cruciate ligament in his knee sidelined him for a whole year. After recovering, he sustained another injury, further limiting his playing time. Over the year and a half with the Saudi club, he played only 428 minutes, scoring one goal and providing three assists. These statistics were catastrophic for the club, which had spent €90 million on acquiring the player and around €150 million per year on his salary.

Despite all the difficulties, Neymar hasn’t lost hope of regaining his former form and becoming a key player once again. He is now preparing to sign a five-month contract with Santos, the club where he first became world-renowned. According to ESPN, Neymar gave up $25 million to facilitate his swift return to Brazil. His earnings will now be significantly more modest—around 163,000 euros per month, which is 40 times less than what he was earning in Saudi Arabia.

In his farewell message, Neymar thanked the fans and the Al-Hilal team for their support and the new experiences he gained in Saudi Arabia. “I always felt your love and passion for the game. I will follow your development as a club and a country until 2034. Your future will be incredible, special things are happening. And I will always support you!” he wrote in his address.

All eyes are now on Santos, where Neymar will try to reclaim his status as one of the best players in the world and prove that he can still play at the highest level despite a series of setbacks.

Photo: AlHilal Saudi Club