Neymar throws shade on Ligue 1 after Saudi Pro League arrival

Saudi Pro League

Neymar claims the Saudi Pro League could already be more competitive than the French Ligue 1. The Brazilian veteran recently signed with Al-Hilal after six seasons at PSG. How good is the Saudi Pro League?

Al-Hilal

Neymar sealed a move to Al-Hilal in August for $96.6m plus add-ons. A very lucrative offer for a player entering the final stages of his professional career.

Major transfers

The Saudi Pro League splashed a whopping $750m on foreign players. They were second right behind the Premier League in terms of spending.

Better than Ligue 1

"For the names that went to Saudi Arabia, I wouldn't be surprised if the Saudi league is better than the French," Neymar explained during a press conference.

Player limits

The 31-year-old Brazilian has a point regarding the massive talent investment on behalf of the Saudi Pro League. Saudi teams are limited to 8 foreign players per team.

Big names

Many veteran footballers chose to follow in Neymar's footsteps and venture out to Saudi Arabia, such as Jordan Henderson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Karim Benzema, Mane, Mahrez, Gabri Veiga, and many more!

Record transfer

There was even talk of a new world record transfer deal involving PSG and Al-Hilal. Kylian Mbappe was given permission to enter talks with the Saudi team after they splashed a $260m bid for the young French striker.

Financial dominance

There have been mixed opinions regarding Saudi football and its financial dominance over the sport. The Saudi league has taken massive strides just this year alone and is now being considered one of the top six leagues in the world.

Saudi football

"I can assure you the football in Saudi Arabia is the same. The ball is round, we have goalposts. There is no secret. We have intense practice there, the thirst to win," shared Neymar during a news conference.

Market deadline

Many Premier League team managers have openly bashed the Saudi League transfer market deadline, closing almost a week after Europe's major leagues.

"Protect the game"

Jurgen Klopp said the Saudi Pro League feels more like a threat than an opportunity. He stated the need to "protect the game and make sure the European league stays as strong as they are".