Last night, Neymar once again left the field injured during his second match of the season with Al-Hilal. At 32 years old, the Brazilian risks joining the ranks of “glass players” like Abou Diaby or Yoann Gourcuff, whose careers were plagued by recurrent injuries.
Since his European debut, Neymar has racked up 37 injuries, according to Transfermarkt. His situation has not improved since his move to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023. Sidelined for over a year due to a serious knee injury, he finally made his return on October 21 in an AFC Champions League match against Al-Ain.
Though he came close to scoring after coming on, Neymar was not registered for the Saudi Pro League. Last night, he played his second match against Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League (a 3-0 victory), but had to leave the field in the 87th minute, grimacing and clearly frustrated by another injury.
Neymar Speaks Out
After the match, coach Jorge Jesus provided some clarity: “He’s coming back from a complicated injury and playing in a position that makes him vulnerable to tackles. I believe this time it’s a muscular injury and not the knee. He should be out for at least two weeks.” He added, “I didn’t register him for the league because I knew this could happen again. This isn’t just a typical injury.”
Neymar also reacted on Instagram, explaining: “I had a cramp, but it was really intense! I’m going to have some tests done, and hopefully, it’s nothing more. This is normal after being out for a year, the doctors warned me. I need to be careful and gradually regain my rhythm.” In another post, he congratulated his team on the win and expressed his joy at playing again at home.
Despite his optimism, concerns about his condition persist in both Brazil and Saudi Arabia. According to the newspaper Arriyadiyah, this latest injury could extend his total time out to over 400 days since joining Al-Hilal.
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