Neymar has ended his 18-month stint with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, with the club announcing the mutual termination of his contract on Monday.
The club expressed gratitude for Neymar’s contributions during his time with the team and wished him success in his future endeavours.
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“The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career with Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career,” the club stated on social media.
Despite a reported salary of around $104 million per year, the 32-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward made only seven appearances for Al-Hilal since joining in August 2023.
Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a fee of 220 million euros ($230 million) remains the biggest in football history.
In August 2023, he followed in the footsteps of fellow superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema by joining the lucrative Saudi league.
However, just two months after his arrival in Riyadh, Neymar suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier in October 2023, sidelining him for a year.
He made brief appearances for Al Hilal in October and November upon his return but subsequently injured his hamstring and has not played since.
Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus recently commented on Neymar’s situation, stating, “He can no longer play at the level we are used to. Things have become difficult for him, unfortunately.”
Earlier in January, Neymar expressed his desire to play in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“I know this will be my last World Cup, my last shot, my last chance and I will do everything I can to play in it,” he told CNN.
While MLS teams in the United States had shown interest in Neymar, reports in Brazil suggest that Santos, the club where he made his name, is in talks for his return to his homeland.
A return to Brazil would likely be the last chance for Neymar, who is his country’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 127 matches and was once considered the heir to Pele.
Neymar’s early career saw him score 107 goals in 177 appearances for Santos before joining Barcelona in 2013, where he became a young star alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, winning the Champions League in 2015.
In 2016, he scored the winning penalty in a shootout as Brazil won the men’s football gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
His world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 saw him win five Ligue 1 titles, but despite leading the team to the Champions League final in 2020 alongside Kylian Mbappe, they lost to Bayern Munich.
The reunion of Neymar, Messi, and Mbappe at PSG failed to live up to expectations, and Neymar was ultimately pushed out by the Parisian management in 2023, leading to his move to Saudi Arabia.
How much did Neymar earn at Al Hilal?
Neymar moved to Al-Hilal in August 2023 for a reported $98 million (€90 million) fee that went to PSG. At the Saudi club, he signed a contract that saw him earn $104 million per year (€99 million per year).
Keeping the earnings straightforward, he earned $156 million (€149.50 million) during his 18-month stint. However, due to injuries, he played only seven games, scoring one goal and three assists.
Going by those numbers, he earned $22.28 million per game (€21.35 million) or $39 million (€37.38 million) for direct involvement in goals.
