$200m for one goal: How Neymar proved an expensive off-field project for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal

Neymar’s run with the Saudi Pro League came to an end with the Brazilian superstar parting ways with champions Al Hilal by mutual consent on Tuesday. The 32-year-old forward is set for a return to his boyhood club Santos after a gap of 12 years, during which he represented top European clubs FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain besides his 18-month stint with the Saudi champions and also surpassed the legendary Pele to become Brazil's all-time leading goal-scorer .

“The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career,” read an official statement from Al Hilal posted on their social media accounts.

More from Football

Champions League: Ronaldo's 'scared' remark goes viral ahead of Madrid-City playoff clash Lionel Messi's Inter Miami the second most valued team in Major League Soccer after 17 per cent growth

“I gave everything to play and I wish we enjoyed better times on the pitch together. To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life,” Neymar wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.

Neymar: A mega flop for Al Hilal

Neymar, who had earlier hinted at a reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami , hasn’t exactly had a fruitful run with Al Hilal.

After becoming the most expensive signing in SPL history with a €90 million ($94 million) deal in August 2023, Neymar would make his debut for the club a month later, only to be sidelined for more than a year after suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury during a World Cup Qualifying game against Uruguay.

He would mark his return in Al Hilal colours during an AFC Champions League match on 21 October, only to be sidelined for the rest of the year a few weeks later after injuring his hamstring.

With the Brazilian superstar making just seven appearances after joining the Saudi champions, he has cost the club €12.8 million per game, making Neymar the most expensive player of all time based on cost per appearance – in other words, the worst value for money among all players.

Italian centre-back Mattia Caldara had previously held this record, costing AC Milan €12.6 million per game while French striker Hugo Ekitike had cost Neymar’s former club PSG €12 million.

Neymar has also scored just one goal for Al Hilal – during a 3-0 victory over Iranian club Nassaji Mazandaran in the AFC Champions League two months after his arrival.

A wonderful strike by Neymar for his first Al Hilal goal ⚡️#ACL pic.twitter.com/DQcyCWdhiI

— #ACLElite | #ACLTwo (@TheAFCCL) October 3, 2023

His lone strike for the club thus would easily rank as the most expensive goal in the sport’s history, given his mega transfer deal as well as the fact that he was being paid salary reportedly amounting in the range of $100 million per year in his two-year contract.

With Neymar reportedly agreeing to forfeit $25 million to $30 million of the $65 million that was left in his deal till June this year, Neymar would have earned $160 million in salary during this period in addition to the $94 million that he cost the club in transfer fees.

That’s a bill of nearly $200 million for just one goal in seven appearances during an injury-laden stint lasting a year-and-a-half. Al Hilal will likely be more careful with their signings going forward.

Neymar remains the most expensive player in football history after PSG paid €222 million to sign him from Barcelona in 2017. He, however, proved to be worth the mega bucks shelled out by the 12-time Ligue 1 champions back then by scoring 118 goals in 173 appearances.