While he has only played seven matches in a year and a half with Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Neymar believes that he will be “soon” back on the field. Undermined by injuries, as so often since his misadventures at Paris Saint-Germain, the Brazilian striker gave an interview to RMC. Broadcast on Sunday on the show Bartoli Timethis notably allowed the 32-year-old player to take stock of his six seasons in Paris.
“My sporting years at PSG were surely the best for me,” assures Neymar. But it was very sad because I often had very serious injuries which could last from three to six months. It bothered me a lot, but football-wise, it was the best Neymar they had in my entire career. » He remembers above all the year 2020, marked by the journey to the final of the Champions League (0-1 against Bayern Munich): “I will never forget these moments, they are engraved in my heart “.
“There was injustice”
That's for the positive part of the results of his 173 matches played with Paris (118 goals and 77 assists). But “Ney” did not deny the dark side of his French experience, particularly in his relationship with the supporters.
« The first year was wonderful, I was very well received. The last two or three years have not been the same. It wasn't incredible the way I was treated, and the same for Lionel Messi. For me, there was injustice because I always gave my all on the pitch. I have no hard feelings but I was a little sad at the way I was treated by the supporters. Especially when they came to my house, when they wanted to invade my house, insult me or even hit me. For me, they crossed the line. Our relationship was no longer respectful, whereas I always respected them. »
Respect, the former Barça man does not believe he always received any from his sports management either: “I was sad about the way I was treated at the end. I have no resentment towards the club, I just have a little resentment towards people who manage the club and some supporters. I decided to leave PSG [en 2023] because I just wasn't happy there anymore. The club and the coach [Luis Enrique] didn’t want to use me anymore so I had to make a decision.”
Heading towards the 2026 World Cup
This was therefore to leave Europe to join the Saudi championship, with a juicy financial offer at stake. But Neymar doesn't hide it: it's not with Al-Hilal that he intends to experience the last big challenge of his career.
Our file on Neymar
“I have already played three World Cups and I obviously want to do the fourth,” he confides. I have to be focused on that, prepare well in my club. » Admit that this 2026 World Cup in the United States would have even more flavor with Neymar dreaming of finally being titled with the Seleçao, like Lionel Messi in 2022, right?
