Neymar throws shade on Ligue 1 after Saudi Pro League arrival

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?

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.

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

"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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

"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.

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

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".