Benzema has just shared warm moments with his son Ibrahim after the match of Al Ittihad. Ibrahim in his home shirt was brought down the field by King Karim to play.

.

.

.

Neymar excited to face Ronaldo, Benzema after Al Hilal move

Neymar complimented Cristiano Ronaldo for kindling the expansion of the Saudi Pro League despite being called “crazy” when he relocated to the Middle East last December. Neymar claimed that by joining Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, he has entered a “very competitive” league.

Brazilian forward Neymar, 31, left Paris Saint-Germain, the current French champions, for Al Hilal in Riyadh in a deal worth $98.6 million (€90 million).

For the first time since the transfer, the former Barcelona star said that Ronaldo’s decision to join Al-Nassr after being released from United during the 2022 World Cup helped make Saudi Arabia an appealing destination for himself and some of the best players in the game. He had been linked with moves to Manchester United, Chelsea, and a return to Camp Nou this summer.

Neymar stated, “I think Cristiano Ronaldo started it all, and everyone called him crazy, and this and that.” “Today, you can see how the league is expanding.

After the deals made during the summer transfer window, the league will be quite competitive. Competitivity is vital, in my opinion. I’m joining this league for that reason. Challenges motivate me. I’m here to support the league’s expansion.

“I can’t wait to start a new chapter while pursuing all the goals with the squad and my teammates, adding titles to my collection and realizing the aspirations of the club. In that aspect, I’m really enthusiastic.

Neymar’s rumored $100 million (€91.7 million) annual wage at Al Hilal brings the total number of players from Europe’s top leagues (England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Portugal) who have moved to Saudi Arabia to more than 30.

And he added that the Saudi league will be entertaining and competitive since Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino, and others will play there.

Meeting top-notch players on the other teams is exhilarating and inspires you to play even better, according to Neymar. And it goes without saying that the excitement is considerably higher when you play against Ronaldo, Benzema, or Firmino.

“So I’m glad to be a part of this league; it will be great to face them. Naturally, a large portion of Brazil will watch the league. Naturally, I’ll be there, and I anticipate that Al Hilal will have the backing of all Brazilians and league fans.

“The message I have for them is that we want to win every title, and I will do everything I can to make them enjoy football,” he said.

In addition to Jordan Henderson, the captain of Liverpool, and Riyad Mahrez, a player for Manchester City, the Saudi Pro League has spent over €600 million to entice a number of great players and coaches from European clubs.

On Saturday, Neymar’s new squad, Al Hilal, will host Al-Feiha in the upcoming round of league games.