Al-Hilal CEO says Neymar failed to meet expectations
The Brazilian forward, who has since returned to Santos, was no longer able to deliver what was expected of him on the pitch, despite boosting the club’s commercial success.
Neymar's abrupt departure from Al-Hilal, just months before the Club World Cup in June, has not been viewed as a misstep by the club's CEO, Esteve Calzada.
The Brazilian forward, who has since returned to Santos, was no longer able to deliver what was expected of him on the pitch, despite boosting the club's commercial success.
"I deeply regret that we could never fully rely on Neymar," Calzada said in an interview.
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"His exit reflects our need for players who can give their absolute best. While Neymar contributed to our marketing success, our priority remains sporting results. We concluded that he was no longer capable of providing what we anticipated."
Neymar joined Al-Hilal in august 2023 after six years at Paris Saint-Germain, in a deal worth €90 million (approximately R$ 485 million at the time).
However, after just five matches, he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for over a year. His absence ultimately led to his exclusion from Al-Hilal's Saudi Championship squad, as coach Jorge Jesus had to adhere to the league's foreign player restrictions.
With no prospect of returning to the squad, Neymar and his representatives opted to terminate his contract, allowing him to move back to Santos. Since his return, he has already featured in two matches for the Brazilian side.
"I'm not saying he can't play football anymore," Calzada added. "But the level of competition at Al-Hilal is intense, and we have a limited number of foreign players. At this moment, Neymar does not have the capacity to deliver maximum performance immediately."
Before joining Al-Hilal, Calzada worked as commercial director at City Football Group, the multi-club organisation owned by the United Arab Emirates. Reflecting on Neymar's impact in Saudi Arabia, he acknowledged the player's significant commercial influence.
"Neymar gave us visibility. Our follower base surged from 15 million to over 40 million," Calzada said. "But for us, the Club World Cup is a key objective this season. We're not travelling to the U.S. just to swap shirts—we see this competition as a chance to showcase a new side of Al-Hilal."
