Brazil great lands in kingdom to add more star power to Saudi Pro League

Brazil great lands in kingdom to add more star power to Saudi Pro League

Brazil star Neymar was greeted with great fanfare as he arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday night ahead of his unveiling as the Saudi Pro League’s latest star signing.

The 31-year-old forward will begin a new chapter in his football career as a Al Hilal player on Saturday after six seasons with Ligue 1 heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar landed in Riyadh with extra security and a number of well wishers waiting for him.

Neymar was received in the airport lounge by various club officials and press.

Neymar will be greeted by thousands of Al Hilal fans at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Saturday at the match against Al Fayha (10pm UAE kick-off).

Neymar signed a two-year contract with Al Hilal for a reported transfer fee of €90 million.

After completing the move, Neymar credited Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo for ushering in a new era in Saudi football.

“I believe Cristiano Ronaldo started all of this and everybody called him ‘crazy’, and this and that. Today you see the league grow more and more,” Neymar said in his first interview since joining Hilal.

“It is exciting, meeting top quality players on the other teams thrills you, and motivates you to play even better,” he said. “And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, Firmino, that the excitement is even greater. So I am happy to join this league, facing them will be wonderful, it will be fantastic.”