SAUDI PRO LEAGUE
Neymar credits Ronaldo for Saudi Pro League transformation
Cristiano Ronaldo is responsible for transforming the Saudi Pro League, according to Brazil forward Neymar who is looking forward to facing the Portuguese international when he starts playing for Al-Hilal.
The 31-year-old Neymar signed a two-year contract with the Riyadh-based club on Tuesday after spending six years with Paris St Germain, in a deal reportedly worth about 90 million euros ($98 million).
Ronaldo, the five-times Ballon d’Or winner, joined Al-Nassr in December on a 2-1/2 year contract following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United.
“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 after the transfer on Wednesday.
The Saudi Pro League has since invested over 600 million euros to lure a host of top players and coaches from European clubs.
Notable recruits include Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City.
“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.
Al-Hilal reappointed Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus on a one-year deal and signed former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Ruben Neves, Serbia’s Sergei Milinkovic-Savic, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Brazilian striker Malcom.
“I think it is very important to have quality in the squad. Obviously, it helps in some decisions you take throughout you career. It was certainly for me,” Neymar said.
“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.”
Al-Hilal host Al-Feiha in the next round of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.
-Reuters
Former Super Eagles’ coach, Jose Peseiro is on the line to coach Saudi Arabia Pro League first tier team, Al Riyadh.
Information from the oil rich country indicate that Peseiro who had previously coached the Saudi Arabia national team is one of the two being considered to replace Odair Hellmann at the Saudi club which placed 14th at the end of last season.
It is gathered that Peseiro has a competitor in Spanish cooach, Javier Pereira who is also lineup for the job.
Peseiro had previously managed Al Hilal in 2006 and later coached the Saudi national team during their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Al Nasr’s Cristiano Ronaldo capped his first full Saudi Pro League season in style as he broke the record for the most goals scored in one campaign on Monday.
The Portuguese 39-year-old scored a brace in his side’s 4-2 win over Al Ittihad on the final matchday to bring his league tally this season to 35 goals.
The previous record was held by former Al Nasr forward and Moroccan international Abderrazak Hamdallah, who scored 34 goals in 2018-19.
Ronaldo, who played for Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, joined Al Nasr in January 2023.
-Reuters
Undefeated Al-Hilal won a record-extending 19th Saudi Pro League title on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over Al-Hazem to reclaim the trophy from Al-Ittihad who won it last season.
Jorge Jesus’ side hold a 12-point advantage over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in second with three matches remaining.
Aleksandar Mitrovic gave Al-Hilal the lead from the penalty spot after 15 minutes but Faiz Selemani netted the equaliser for Al-Hazem in the 34th minute.
However, Jesus’s side took the lead again with an own goal from Ahmed Al-Juwaid in the 39th minute.
Mitrovic scored again in first-half stoppage time and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored three minutes later to make it 4-1.
Al-Hilal are chasing the treble having clinched the Saudi Super Cup title in April, and having reached the Saudi King’s Cup final where they will play Al-Nassr.
-Reuters
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