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Journalism of Courage
Brazilian superstar Neymar was officially unveiled as an Al Hilal player at the King Fahd International Stadium on Saturday.
Neymar signed a two-year contract with the Riyadh-based club after moving from Paris St Germain. Financial details were not disclosed but the transfer is reported to be for a fee of about 90 million euros plus add-ons.
“I am very excited to write a new story chasing all the objectives with the club and my team mates – winning more and more titles and fulfilling the club’s ambition,” Neymar had said on Wednesday.
Last week, Neymar missed PSG’s season-opening 0-0 draw against Lorient in the French league after training alone, with the club saying it was because he was recovering from a viral infection.
The 31-year-old Brazilian joined PSG from Barcelona for a world-record fee of 222 million euros (now $244 million) six years ago, the same year Kylian Mbappe joined from Monaco in a deal worth 180 million euros.
The Saudi Pro League has invested over 600 million euros to lure a host of top players and coaches from European clubs.
Saudi Arabia wants to improve its sporting image, wants to project itself as a sport-friendly-country and the Cristiano Ronaldo and now Neymar acquisitions are proving to be the right one.
“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 had said on Wednesday.
“It is exciting, meeting top-quality players on the other teams thrills you and motivates you to play even better. And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, (Roberto) Firmino, that the excitement is even greater,” Neymar said.
