“I’m So Happy. I’m Back… I’m Back.” An Ecstatic Neymar Shares His Feelings as He Returns to Competitive Action After a Year on the Sidelines Due to a Knee Injury
After a year on the sidelines due to a knee ligament injury, Al Hilal’s Neymar Jr. was back in action on Monday evening. The Brazilian forward made a late cameo in the AFC Champions Elite 5-4 win away to Al Ain.
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer, joined Al Hilal last year as their marquee signing. Sadly, he sustained a knee ligament injury while on international duty and managed only five appearances for Al Hilal. Since then, he’s undergone surgery and a prolonged recovery period due to the severity of the injury and his age.
Manager Jorge Jesus introduced the Brazilian forward in the 76th minute, with Al Hilal up 5-3. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona striker almost scored in the final moments of the game, but he failed to direct the ball on target.
In his post-match interview, the forward expressed his happiness in returning to the pitch, saying, “I feel good. It’s so hard. Al Ain have a good team. But I’m so happy. I’m back… I’m back.” Al Hilal will be happy that their star signing is available after a long wait.
Those waiting for Neymar’s magic in the Saudi Pro League will have to wait a while longer as he’s not on the registered list for domestic competitions. However, the registration portal will open in January, and Al Hilal can register him then. In the meantime, Neymar will continue to make appearances in other competitions as he builds his match fitness and readies himself to help Al Hilal defend their Saudi Pro League crown in the second half of the season.
