Brazilian football sensation Neymar, aged 32, has resumed team training with Al Hilal on Monday, marking his comeback after almost a year sidelined due to a left knee injury.
Neymar transferred to the Saudi club from Paris Saint-Germain in a high-profile move in August 2023, but his time on the field was limited to just five matches before suffering a rupture of his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the national team in October.
“Happy to be back in the group,” Neymar posted on Instagram, with pictures of him running and kicking the ball, watched by Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus.
After surgery, Neymar resumed individual training in July. His return to competitive games will depend on “his technical readiness and the coach’s decision,” a club official who asked to remain anonymous told AFP.
Brazil’s head coach, Dorival Junior, has called for patience regarding Neymar’s recovery as he has excluded the star forward from the squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru.
Currently, Al Hilal, the reigning champions of the Saudi league, has not yet registered Neymar for this season of the Saudi Pro League, which commenced last month.
Nevertheless, the former Barcelona star, earning approximately 100 million euros (£83.6 million) annually, is slated to participate in the AFC Champions League, Asia’s premier club competition.
Even without Neymar, Al Hilal dominated the Saudi league last season, finishing unbeaten with 31 victories and three draws.
The Riyadh club also achieved an impressive streak of 34 consecutive wins across all competitions before being halted in the Champions League semi-finals by Al Ain from the UAE.
