Neymar has suffered yet another injury.
According to Idman.biz, he had torn his anterior cruciate ligaments last year, leaving him sidelined for a year. Just as he was recovering and returning to football, he was forced to leave the field again due to a severe cramp during a recent match. Since joining Al-Hilal in September 2023, the Brazilian forward has only played 7 matches and scored once.
His transfer from PSG reportedly cost 90 million euros, making it the most expensive in the Saudi Pro League. Additionally, Al-Hilal is said to pay him 150 million euros per year, six times more than what he earned in France.
During his time at PSG, Neymar spent considerable time in hospitals or receiving treatment at home. His list of injuries includes a damaged heel, broken metatarsal bones, and tendon injuries, leading to absences of 76, 85, 90, and even 130 days from the game in different seasons, not counting the shorter injuries. Consequently, he has played only 112 matches in Ligue 1 over six seasons, while he appeared in 123 LaLiga matches with Barcelona in just four years.
Despite possessing top-tier technical skills and impressive goal-scoring abilities, his character, poor decisions, and frequent injuries have overshadowed his potential. Once a leading candidate for the Ballon d'Or, he has finished third in the voting twice (in 2015 and 2017) but was always behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
His performances in the first half of the 2022/23 season had put him in contention for the 2023 Ballon d'Or alongside Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, but he ultimately did not even make the nominee list.
With 79 goals, Neymar is Brazil's all-time leading scorer, yet he has faced criticism for not living up to expectations. According to Sports Illustrated, he might end his career as one of the best players never to win the Ballon d'Or or a World Cup.
His move to Saudi Arabia last year signals a potential end to his Ballon d'Or aspirations. Now approaching 33, can he still be considered a fading star, or should we hold on to hope as we recall the achievements of 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and 37-year-old Messi?
Rasim
Idman.biz
