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He returned last month but was withdrawn just 29 minutes after being introduced as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Iran's Esteghlal in the Asian Champions Elite League on Monday.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

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.

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. 

Al-Nassr have appointed former Milan boss Stefano Pioli as their new head coach after parting company with Luis Castro, the Saudi Pro League club confirmed on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo's side, who finished a distant second in the Pro League to unbeaten Al-Hilal last season, relieved Castro of his duties after taking five points from their first three games of 2024-25.

Al-Nassr have played out frustrating 1-1 draws with Al-Raed and Al-Ahli in their first two home games of the campaign, either side of beating AL-Feiha 4-1.

Pioli had been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia after leaving his role as head coach of Milan at the end of 2023-24, when the Rossoneri finished 19 points behind Serie A winners Inter.

"Pioli Is Nassrawi. We welcome Stefano Pioli as our new coach", read a post to the team's X account, with details of his contract not being announced.

Pioli previously led Milan to a surprise Scudetto triumph in 2021-22, and his first match in charge will see him face off against Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq on Friday.

Arne Slot is "something special" and can have a sensational impact as Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool replacement, believes Eredivisie chief executive Jan de Jong. 

Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, De Jong also backed Slot – alongside embattled Manchester United counterpart Erik ten Hag – to manage the Netherlands in the future. 

Slot has enjoyed a fine start to life at Anfield after leaving Feyenoord, leading Liverpool to three straight Premier League wins, including an impressive 3-0 triumph over United.

The Reds have won all three of their Premier League games this term while keeping a clean sheet in each victory. When they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday, they could become just the fifth team in English top-flight history to start a season with four straight wins without conceding. 

Manchester City last achieved that feat in 2015-16, following in the footsteps of Aston Villa (1900-01), Ipswich Town (1974-75) and Chelsea (2005-06).

Ten Hag has found things more difficult at Old Trafford, becoming the first United manager to start two Premier League seasons with the club by losing two of his first three matches.

However, De Jong expects both bosses to be successful in the long term, telling Stats Perform: "The Premier League is the highest goal you can reach. So if there are two Dutch coaches at such big clubs, we are very proud of it. It's the best we can do. 

"We hope that in the near future, both will be the coach of the Dutch national team. I think Ten Hag started very well, but Louis van Gaal says Manchester United is a very difficult team to manage. 

 

"So Erik is facing a lot of problems, but I think he's technical, a very good coach on a very high level and Arne Slot is something special. 

"I think he will be a sensation. You never know, but he has everything in him to be one of the greatest coaches of his time. "

De Jong's primary concern for 2024-25 is ensuring the Eredivisie maintains its position as Europe's sixth league, pointing to the importance of Champions League revenue going to multiple Dutch clubs.

"To be honest, we want to be the sixth league. There's a huge gap and we cannot bridge it between the big five and the others," he said.

"A couple of years ago, in 2018, we were number 14 in the UEFA ranking and now we are number six. That's very important and we have at least two teams participating in the Champions League. 

"That is crucial for us because the money the teams get out of Champions League football is much more than the local media rights. So this year is fully aimed at how we stay in sixth position."

The Eredivisie is one of several leagues to be threatened by the big-spending approach of Saudi Pro League clubs, with Steven Bergwijn swapping Ajax for Al-Ittihad in a €21million move earlier this month.

 

That switch led Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman to leave Bergwijn out of his squad for this month's Nations League fixtures, and De Jong admits the financial power of Saudi clubs is a real concern.

"When you make a step in your career, I hope that it's always out of an aim that you want to reach the highest level," he added.

"I'm a little bit naïve, but I hope winning prizes is more important than earning as much money as you can."

On Koeman's decision to exclude Bergwijn, he said: "He said that from his point of view, he would no longer take Bergwijn as a player of the Dutch national team. 

"He did not say that the competition was not strong enough, but he was very surprised that he did it at the age of 26. That was the point Koeman was trying to make."

Cristiano Ronaldo has outlined his ambition to score 1,000 career goals before he brings his remarkable career to a close.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star now plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, breaking that competition's single-season scoring record last term.

He has scored a mammoth total of 899 goals for both club and country, the most of any player in a senior career in the history of the sport.

But speaking on his own podcast with former team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo set his sights firmly on the next major milestone, while also taking a cheeky swipe at the likes at Pele in the process by stating that all his goals would have been televised, unlike the legends of the past.

He said: "Soon I will [score my] 900th and after that it will be 1,000. If I don't have injuries, that is most important, I want that.

"My challenge is to reach 1,000 goals with one difference – all the goals that I score will have video. So I can prove that."

When asked how much longer he could keep competing for, 39-year-old Ronaldo does not see himself finishing up anytime soon.

He said: "I know I’m still looking good. I feel I can still dribble, shoot, score goals, jumping.

"The day that I feel I cannot produce anything, I pack my bags and I go away, but I feel far from that."

Aleksandar Mitrovic netted an 84th-minute winner as Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal overcame Damac 3-2 on Wednesday.

Mitrovic, who opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time, sealed a comeback win for Jorge Jesus' team, who made it two victories from as many matches in 2024-25.

Damac thought they might be set for a memorable victory, which would have been their first on the road at Al-Hilal, when Francois Kamano and Habib Diallo scored in quick succession at the start of the second half.

However, Musab Al Juwayr restored parity in the 73rd minute, paving the way for former Fulham star Mitrovic to deftly backheel home from six yards out late on.

The goal was originally disallowed for offside, but given after a VAR review.

It marked Mitrovic's sixth Pro League double, after he also netted twice in Al-Hilal's opening win over Al-Okhdood, while the Serbian also brought up his first Pro League goals against Damac, at the third time of asking.

Data Debrief: Damac's dismal luck

Had Damac held on, they would have claimed their 50th victory in the Pro League.

However, they could not do so, and their coach Cosmin Contra has now faced Al-Hilal six times across his stints with Al-Ittihad and Damac without once tasting victory in the Pro League (D1 L5).

Victor Osimhen's agent insists the striker will not swap Napoli for Saudi Arabia despite reports linking him with a move to Al-Ahli.

Osimhen has been strongly linked with an exit since he fired the Partenopei to their third Scudetto in 2022-23, but he stayed put for a miserable 2023-24 campaign that saw them finish 10th in Serie A.

Earlier this month, Napoli director Giovanni Manna confirmed Osimhen had requested a move, with Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal touted as potential destinations.

Last week, reports suggested Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli were close to agreeing a fee of around €65million for the striker, but he is unwilling to negotiate personal terms with them.

On Monday, the Nigerian's agent Roberto Calenda took to X to outline Osimhen's desire to stay in Europe, saying he will not be forced into joining the Saudi club.

"Osimhen is a Napoli player, with a contract recently renewed with mutual satisfaction," Calenda wrote. 

"He made history and when there were major offers, we always accepted the club's decisions. 

"As I said, he is not a package to be shipped far away to make room for new players. 

"Victor was elected African footballer of the year, eighth at the Ballon d'Or, he still has so much to do in Europe. There is a need for respect and balance."

 

Osimhen scored 15 goals in 25 Serie A appearances during an injury-affected 2023-24 campaign, having netted 26 times as they were crowned champions the previous season.

He has scored 65 league goals for Napoli since joining from Lille in 2020, ranking 12th in their all-time Serie A scoring charts. 

A Cristiano Ronaldo goal was not enough for Al-Nassr as they were trounced 4-1 by rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup on Saturday.

Ronaldo struck first in the 2024-25 curtain-raiser, tapping Abdulrahman Ghareeb's cutback home shortly before the interval at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium.

However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen angrily gesticulating at his team-mates as Al-Nassr collapsed in the second half, with Al-Hilal – unbeaten Pro League champions last season – running riot.

Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice in six minutes to take the game away from Al-Nassr, after Sergej Milinkovic-Savic capped a driving run with a powerful finish into the roof of the net for 1-1.

Al-Hilal added further gloss to the scoreline through Malcom with 18 minutes to play, the Brazilian stealing possession from goalkeeper Bento to tap into an unguarded net.

Data Debrief: Al-Hilal ruthless, Ronaldo frustrated

Al-Hilal certainly made the most of their chances on Saturday, scoring four times from just nine attempts totalling 1.8 expected goals (xG).

They were solid at the other end, too, limiting Al-Nassr to 0.77 xG and Ronaldo to just two shots – his 44th-minute opener and a wild 93rd-minute attempt when the game was already up.

Ronaldo was seen gesturing that his team-mates were asleep in the aftermath of Al-Hilal's fourth goal, as Bento's loose touch allowed Malcom in to make it a rout.  

Richarlison has revealed he rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League and wishes to stay at Tottenham for the coming season.

The Brazil international joined Spurs from Everton in a deal worth a club-record £60million in 2022, only to struggle throughout his debut season in North London.

He scored just once in 27 Premier League games in 2022-23 but enjoyed a resurgent 2023-24 under Ange Postecoglou, netting 11 times in 28 matches, only 18 of which were starts.

However, with Tottenham reportedly interested in a move for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, who has a £65m release clause in his contract, Richarlison's future has been called into question.

In an interview with ESPN Brazil, the 27-year-old revealed he received a substantial offer from an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia, but he wishes to remain in England to bolster his international aspirations.

"The money was high, but my dream is bigger," the forward said of the Saudi offer.

"There has been an offer but my dream of playing for the Brazilian Selecao and in the Premier League speaks louder."

Richarlison's 11 league goals last term came from a total of 62 shots worth 9.59 expected goals (xG), while he hit the target with 53.2% of his efforts and netted with 17.7%.

Nine of his strikes, however, came within an eight-match span between mid-December and early February. 

He only scored once in 12 league outings before that run began on December 10, and once in eight appearances after it ended on February 3, with a calf injury curtailing his season and preventing him from representing Brazil at the Copa America.

Al-Ettifaq boss Steven Gerrard says it would be a "dream" for Lionel Messi to follow Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League for one last head-to-head battle.

Messi and Ronaldo both turned their backs on European football in 2022-23, the Portugal great swapping Manchester United for Al-Nassr and the Argentine moving to MLS outfit Inter Miami.

Those moves look to have ended one of the most iconic rivalries in football history, with both players unlikely to represent their national teams at the 2026 World Cup.

Al-Hilal attempted to lure Messi to Saudi Arabia before he opted to move stateside, but Gerrard has not given up hope of seeing him play in the country, even suggesting his club as a landing spot.

"It would be a dream for me to have Messi at Al-Ettifaq. He is an incredible player and would be a great asset for the club," the former Liverpool captain told MBC Masr 2.

"I know it's difficult for him to move to Saudi Arabia, but there's nothing wrong with dreaming."

Gerrard refused to be drawn on which of the pair was the greatest player of their generation, however, saying: "Both Cristiano and Messi are incredible players with incredible stories in football. 

"Ronaldo is a great individual goalscorer, while Messi is a more complete team player. I can't really choose between them, they are both legends."

 

Ronaldo top-scored in the Saudi Pro League with 35 goals in just 31 games in 2023-24, though he endured a miserable Euro 2024 campaign with Portugal.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner failed to score at a major international tournament for the first time in 11 attempts, despite recording a competition-high 23 shots worth 3.6 expected goals (xG).

Messi, meanwhile, has yet to score in three appearances for Argentina at this year's Copa America, though he could yet win a third straight international tournament with La Albiceleste set to face Canada in the semi-finals on Tuesday.

Romelu Lukaku is open to joining a Saudi Pro League club one year after rejecting Al-Hilal, as Chelsea look to get the striker off the books.

Chelsea re-signed Lukaku for an estimated £97.5million in 2021, but he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma after struggling at Stamford Bridge.

Lukaku scored 21 goals for Roma in 2023-24 and the Giallorossi are keen on keeping him at the Stadio Olimpico, but cannot match Chelsea's reported £37m asking price.

The Blues accepted an offer for Lukaku's services from Al-Hilal last year, when several big-name players swapped Europe's top leagues for the Saudi Pro League, but the Belgian rejected the move.

He is now more open to playing in the country after discussing the prospect with international team-mate Yannick Carrasco, who left Atletico Madrid for Al-Shabab last September.

Recalling his decision to turn Al-Hilal down, Lukaku told VTM: "It was really intense for two weeks. For two days in a row I thought, 'yes, I'm going', then, 'no, I'm not going'.

"I was scared for a moment, everyone only went there after I declined the offer.

"I have often spoken with Yannick about life there. He lives in a complex, but you really have everything there."

 

Lukaku, who is gearing up to represent Belgium at his sixth major tournament at Euro 2024, says patience will be required as he weighs up his next move.

"A lot of people like to talk, maybe because I don't have an agent, but I'll decide," he added. "I'm in control of my situation. 

"I'm going to make a choice and once I explain it, everyone will agree with me."

Lukaku scored 14 goals in just eight games in Euro 2024 qualifying, a record for a European Championship qualification campaign. Those goals came from just 29 shots, with the 31-year-old averaging a goal every 39 minutes.

He is also Belgium's all-time leading scorer at major tournaments (World Cup and Euros), with 11 goals in 22 matches.

However, just two of those strikes have come in knockout games, against the United States in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup and versus Italy in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.

Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte was sent off for punching Mohammed Al-Aqel on the arm as Al-Nassr played out a 2-2 draw with Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League.

Meshari Al-Nemer's 97th-minute strike salvaged a point for Al-Nassr, who had trailed for over half the game and played with a one-man disadvantage for over half an hour.

Otavio had put Al-Nassr ahead only for Andre Gray to drag the hosts level, before Al-Aqel gave David Ospina no chance with a terrific overhead kick to make it 2-1.

Al-Nassr's position was put in further jeopardy when Laporte was sent off following a bizarre off-the-ball incident which saw him grab and punch Al-Aqel on the elbow, while Cristiano Ronaldo came up with a glaring miss from Sadio Mane's pass across the six-yard box.

Al-Nemer levelled at the death for Al-Nassr, though they still sit some 14 points adrift of champions Al-Hilal, who could complete an unbeaten season against Al-Wehda on Monday.

Data Debrief: Laporte's horror show

It was a game to forget for Laporte, whose bizarre punch on Al-Aqel put Al-Nassr up against it versus a team still in danger of relegation.

Laporte did not attempt a single tackle in the game while his four duels contested were the joint-fewest of every outfield starter (alongside Khalid Al-Shuwayyi). He was also sent off in Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League quarter-final tie against Al Ain in March.

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