Neymar admits he considered retirement after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury while representing Brazil last year.

The Al-Hilal forward has only played 29 minutes since last October, when he sustained the serious knee injury during a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star returned as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Iran's Esteghlal in the Asian Champions Elite League earlier this month, but he suffered a hamstring tear and is now expected to be sidelined until mid-December.

Speaking during an interview for Netflix's new documentary Saudi Pro League: Kickoff, the 32-year-old said his ACL injury was the worst he has experienced. 

"Some days when I wake up, I want to give up," he said in the documentary, which detailed his recovery. "I admit, this injury is the one that shook me the most in my career. 

"I was really sad, and very down mentally for the first month. I knew it was a serious and long-term injury. Being on the sidelines is tough. 

"The beginning of an injury is quite complicated. At the start, you only feel pain. I only felt the pain, I just wanted it to stop. 

"I wanted to bend my knee as quickly as possible so that I could regain my movement and make the pain go away."

Neymar then revealed his age made his recovery all the more difficult, adding: "If you don't have the people you love by your side, your family, your friends, then it can be difficult to come back from an injury like this.

"It really messes with your mind and your body. I'm not 20 any more, I was 31 when it happened. I'm very grateful to have my friends and family around."

Neymar should have won the Ballon d'Or five times, so says Gianluigi Buffon.

Italy great Buffon played alongside Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain for a season in 2018-19.

Neymar joined PSG in a world-record transfer from Barcelona in 2017, but was unable to drive the French club to their maiden Champions League trophy.

He left in 2023 to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but has hardly featured for the Asian giants. He is back on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, having only just returned from a year-long lay-off after sustaining an anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury.

Neymar was tipped for greatness when he moved to Europe from Santos, but despite a glittering career, especially at Barcelona, he never has managed to win the Ballon d'Or.

And that is something that upsets his former club-mate Buffon.

"It's hard to pick a rival," Buffon told Corriere della Sera

"I've played against three generations: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta… Choose one? Neymar.

"For the player he is and the person he is, he should have won five Ballons d'Or."

Even at PSG, Neymar was often overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe.

When Messi joined that deadly duo in 2021, meanwhile, the trio could not have the impact on the European stage that PSG's Qatari owners would have wished for.

Al-Hilal surged back to the Saudi Pro League summit with a convincing 3-1 triumph over 10-man Al-Ettifaq on Friday. 

The defending champions are now one point clear of Al-Ittihad in the standings, with their latest victory piling more misery on Al-Ettifaq boss, Steven Gerrard.

Al-Hilal struggled in the early exchanges at the Kingdom Arena, registering their first effort on Marek Rodak's goal in the 38th minute courtesy of Marcos Leonardo. 

But the hosts would take the lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, with Mitrovic on hand to steer Renan Lodi's delivery into the net from close range. 

Al-Hilal then doubled their advantage nine minutes from time when Malcolm collected the ball from Abdullah Al Hamddan, before rounding Rodak and finishing into an empty net.

However, hopes of a comeback from the visitors were revived in second-half stoppage time when Joao Cancelo gave away a penalty after a handball inside the box. 

Vitinho stepped up and fired home the spot-kick, but Al-Hilal confirmed the win two minutes later through Mohammed Al Qahtani, with visiting forward Abdullah Radif shown a late red card for violent conduct.

Data Debrief: Happy Friday!

Al-Hilal continued their quest for a 20th Saudi Pro League crown with a dominant display against Al-Ettifaq, extending their unbeaten run against their opponents in the process. 

They have now not lost their last 13 league encounters against Al-Ettifaq (W12 D1), surpassing their longest unbeaten streak against them in the competition (12 matches between 2008 and 2013 - W8 D4). 

Al-Hilal have now lost only three matches when hosting teams on a Friday in the Pro League out of 55 matches (W46 D6 L3).

Lodi also took his goal contribution tally to eight this season in all competitions (three goals, five assists). During his European career with three different clubs, he only notched more goal involvements (nine) in the 2021-22 campaign with Atletico Madrid. 

Neymar is expected to miss at least a month after suffering a hamstring tear, just two weeks after returning to action for Al-Hilal.

The Brazil star was sidelined for a year by an anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered while representing Brazil in a World Cup qualifier last October.

He returned last month but was withdrawn just 29 minutes after being introduced as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Iran's Esteghlal in the Asian Champions Elite League on Monday.

Al-Hilal have now confirmed the 32-year-old, who has only represented the club seven times since his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain last year, could miss up to six weeks.

"The scans revealed that Neymar Jr. has suffered a tear in his hamstring" Al-Hilal said in a statement posted to X.

"He will undergo a treatment and rehabilitation program that will last from four to six weeks." 

He will now miss Brazil's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, against Venezuela on November 14 and Uruguay six days later.

Neymar's team-mate Ruben Neves, meanwhile, will travel to Finland on Thursday to undergo tests on a knee injury he suffered during a match against Al-Ain last month.

Al-Hilal, who went unbeaten in the Saudi Pro League last season and have won eight of their nine matches this term, drawing one, host Al-Ettifaq next time out on Friday.

Neymar does not feel his latest injury is anything to be overly worried about.

The Brazilian star had to be substituted off late on in Al-Hilal's 3-0 win over Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday.

Aleksandar Mitrovic's hat-trick propelled Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal to a comfortable win, though it was soured when Neymar clutched his right thigh and left the field just 29 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

It was only the 32-year-old's second appearance since he returned from a year-long lay-off due to a serious knee injury.

However, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona attacker allayed fears over a serious injury.

"It felt like a cramp, only very strong!" Neymar posted on Instagram. "I'm going to have some tests and I hope it's nothing too serious.

"It's normal for this to happen after a year, the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes."

Neymar has played only seven games for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal since joining from PSG in a blockbuster transfer last year.

Neymar sustained a new injury as he was forced off during Al-Hilal's AFC Champions League Elite win over Esteghlal.

Aleksandar Mitrovic plundered a hat-trick on Monday to seal a 3-0 win.

But Al-Hilal's victory was soured by an injury to Neymar, who had to make way just 29 minutes after he came on as a second-half substitute.

The Brazilian, who has just returned from over a year out of action following a serious knee injury, was forced off with what appeared to be a thigh issue.

Indeed, Monday's appearance was only the 32-year-old's second for Al-Hilal since his comeback.

He has featured just seven times for the Saudi Pro League champions in all competitions since his big-money move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic preserved Al-Hilal's unbeaten start to the Saudi Pro League season as his header earned the defending champions a 1-1 draw against Al-Nassr on Friday. 

Al-Hilal dropped their first points of the season having won their first eight games, but remained at the summit of the standings, moving one point clear of Al-Ittihad. 

Al-Nassr found themselves in front inside two minutes when Otavio's clipped ball found Talisca, who took a touch before firing the ball beyond Yassine Bounou. 

The first half saw clear-cut chances hard to come by, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Talisca and Mohamed Simakan seeing their efforts unable to trouble visiting goalkeeper Bounou. 

Al-Hilal, who had scored 23 goals in their first eight games, came closest to an equaliser after the break when Salem Al Dawsari struck the woodwork. 

But the leveller came in the 77th minute when a free-flowing move ended with Milinkovic-Savic heading the ball in off the post after being picked out by Renan Lodi's cross. 

Both sides looked to find a winner in the closing stages, with Ali Lajami coming the closest for Al-Nassr, but the points were shared at the Al Awal Park at King Saud University. 

Data Debrief: Champions end Ronaldo streak

Ronaldo's run of four straight games with a goal came to an end against Al-Hilal, though he was Al-Nassr's most potent attacking threat during the encounter. 

The Portugal captain registered a team-high 0.37 expected goals (xG) to Al-Nassr's 0.9 total, while also having the joint-most touches in the opposition box (five - level with Otavio). 

Neymar made his first appearance for Al-Hilal in just over a year, having recovered from surgery on a knee injury.

The forward ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee while playing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023.

He then underwent surgery the following month but has now fully recovered, and came off the bench in the 77th minute for Al-Hilal in the Asian Champions League on Monday.

The reigning Saudi Pro League champions emerged 5-4 victors over Al-Ain in a thrilling match, which included two hat-tricks and a red card. The Brazilian also came close to marking his return with a counter-attacking goal but was unable to capitalise.

"I feel good - it's [been] so hard," Neymar said.

"I always have a good team. But I'm so happy. I'm back, I'm back."

Neymar joined Al-Hilal in August 2023 for a reported €90million fee from Paris Saint-Germain and made just five appearances for them before his lengthy injury lay-off.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a 97th-minute penalty as Al-Nassr clinched a 2-1 victory at Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League, with the hosts missing a spot-kick of their own 12 minutes into stoppage time.

Ronaldo held his nerve from 12 yards after Robert Renan needlessly fouled Abdulrahman Ghareeb, sending Kim Seung-Gyu the wrong way to score his sixth goal of the season.

Al-Nassr had earlier gone ahead through Aymeric Laporte in the 69th minute, only for substitute Ali Alhassan to slice a clearance into his own net in the 90th minute.

Ronaldo's penalty was not the end of the drama, though, as Mohamed Simakan was penalised for a stamp on Nader Al-Sharari inside the area, receiving his second yellow card and handing Al-Shabab a glorious chance to level.

However, Abderrazak Hamdallah crashed his kick against the woodwork, handing Al-Nassr their fifth win of the campaign and taking them to 17 points.

They remain four points adrift of the summit, though, with champions Al-Hilal remaining perfect with a 3-0 rout of Al-Fayha.

Marcos Leonardo, Salem Al Dawsari and substitute Mohammed Al Qahtani were on target for Al-Hilal, who are now unbeaten in 43 league games since a 2-0 defeat at Al-Adalah in May 2023.

In Friday's other game, Al-Ahli trounced Al-Khaleej 3-0 to go fifth in the standings, with Ivan Toney scoring with a powerful left-footed volley after assisting Feras Al Brikan's opener. Centre-back Merih Demiral scored the visitors' third.

Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.

Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City. 

The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.

But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery. 

Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi. 

However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions. 

Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man

Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal. 

This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six). 

Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates. 

Al-Hilal withstood a late Al Kholood rally to move top of the Saudi Pro League following a 4-2 victory at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.

The damage was done during a late first-half surge by the reigning champions, who leapfrogged Al-Ittihad to the summit of the table.

Al-Hilal broke the deadlock in the 38th minute through former Napoli and Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who finished after Renan Lodi initially struck the woodwork.

Malcom doubled the lead four minutes later, then Ali Al Bulayhi made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time.

Former Atletico Madrid and Nottingham Forest defender Lodi then got in the act to make it four within three minutes of the restart.

The hosts finished the contest the stronger of the two sides with Hammam Al Hammami and a William Troost-Ekong penalty halving the deficit, but that rally could not prevent the visitors from remaining perfect after their first five games.

Data Debrief: Al-Hilal remain perfect

Al-Hilal have won each of their opening five games in a Saudi Pro League season for the third time in their history, also achieving the feat in 2010-11 and 2018-19.

Jorge Jesus' side also continued their dominant record against newly promoted clubs, having now won each of their last nine such matches.

Despite their late surge, Al Kholood suffered their third defeat of the season, though there was individual cause for celebration, as former Al-Hilal player Mohammed Jahfali came on for his 200th Saudi Pro League appearance.

Neymar will not return from his anterior cruciate ligament injury until January 2025 at the earliest, Al-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus has warned.

Neymar left Paris Saint-Germain for Al-Hilal in a €90million deal in August 2023, becoming one of the faces of the Saudi Pro League's major recruitment drive.

However, he only played five matches for the club before rupturing his ACL while on international duty with Brazil last October.

The 32-year-old subsequently missed the remainder of the season as well as the Selecao's ill-fated Copa America campaign, and he remains some way away from a return.

Neymar was removed from Al-Hilal's Saudi Pro League squad in September, with the 19-time champions only able to register a maximum of eight foreign players for the first half of the season.

Reports had suggested Neymar was close to a return after Al-Hilal posted footage of him training on social media, but Jesus says Brazil's all-time leading scorer must wait until the halfway point of the campaign before being considered.  

"Neymar is an important player for Al Hilal and the league in general," Jesus told reporters on Tuesday. 

"I can't, however, specify a date as to when he will return, but we will look at the situation in January."

With no restrictions on foreign players featuring in the AFC Champions League, Neymar could, in theory, play in that competition if he returns to fitness before January. 

Marcos Leonardo's first-half penalty was enough to book Al-Hilal a spot in the King's Cup round of 16 with a 1-0 win over Al-Bukayriyah.

The defending champions dominated from the start, with Abdullah Al Hamddan and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic both seeing early efforts saved by Dziugas Bartkus.

Al Hamddan then won the game-winning spot-kick in the 40th minute, being brought down in the box by Ibrahim Al Sunaytan, and Leonardo made no mistake from 12 yards.

Al-Hilal kept pushing for another goal, with substitutes Renan Lodi and Aleksandar Mitrovic both testing Bartkus in the second half, but they could not add to the scoreline.

Neymar, who is gearing up for his return to action after a year on the sidelines, was not involved for Al-Hilal, who lead the way in the Saudi Pro League.

Data Debrief: Leonardo proves the difference

Al-Hilal were dominant in the first half, completely overwhelming their opponents as they had 12 of their 17 shots before the break, getting five of those on target.

But across the 90 minutes, it was Leonardo who was the standout, having the second-most shots (three) and accumulating 0.82 expected goals (xG).

His only shot on target may have been the winning penalty, but he proved a handful as he also had the most touches in the opposition box (10).

Marcos Leonardo's first-half penalty was enough to book Al-Hilal a spot in the King Cup round of 16 with a 1-0 win over Al-Bukayriyah.

The defending champions dominated from the start, with Abdullah Al Hamddan and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic both seeing early efforts saved by Dziugas Bartkus.

Al Hamddan then won the game-winning spot-kick in the 40th minute, being brought down in the box by Ibrahim Al Sunaytan, and Leonardo made no mistake from 12 yards.

Al-Hilal kept pushing for another goal, with substitutes Renan Lodi and Aleksandar Mitrovic both testing Bartkus in the second half, but they could not add to the scoreline.

Neymar, who is gearing up for his return to action after a year on the sidelines, was not involved for Al-Hilal, who lead the way in the Saudi Pro League.

Data Debrief: Leonardo proves the difference

Al-Hilal were dominant in the first half, completely overwhelming their opponents as they had 12 of their 17 shots before the break, getting five of those on target.

But across the 90 minutes, it was Leonardo who was the standout, having the second-most shots (three) and accumulating 0.82 expected goals (xG).

His only shot on target may have been the winning penalty, but he proved a handful as he also had the most touches in the opposition box (10).

Aleksandar Mitrovic's double helped Al-Hilal claim a 3-1 victory over rivals Al-Ittihad to move three points clear in the Saudi Pro League.

After just four games, it puts the defending champions in the driving seat while denting the aspirations of Al-Ittihad.

The Serbian striker had put the hosts ahead after just three minutes with a header from the centre of the box, having met Ruben Neves' deep cross from the right.

Mitrovic doubled Al-Hilal's lead from the spot just 11 minutes later after Abdulelah Al Amri brought Renan Lodi down in the area.

Al-Hilal increased the deficit to three before half-time as Salem Al Dawsari added to the scoreline in the 36th minute, receiving down the left from Neves once more before driving clear in the box and finishing coolly.

Karim Benzema fired home in the 85th minute, though it was nothing but a consolation for Al-Ittihad.

Data Debrief: Al Dawsari prolific in Saudi's big game

While Mitrovic, who has now netted 51 goals in 50 Al-Hilal matches, stole the show, Al Dawsari became the all-time top scorer in meetings between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad across all competitions with 10 goals, in addition to providing seven assists. He has contributed to eight goals in the last 10 such matches (six goals and two assists).

These sides have now met 33 times in the Pro League, with Al-Hilal winning 17 times, Al-Ittihad on six occasions, and 10 matches ending in a draw.

Indeed, Al-Hilal, who mustered 2.16 xG to Al-Ittihad's 1.23, are now unbeaten in their last seven league meetings against their great rivals.