In October 2023, the world saw photos of Neymar being carried off the field on a stretcher. The Brazilian was injured during a World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay. It was soon revealed that he had torn the ligaments in his knee, a serious injury that usually requires at least six months of recovery. For Neymar, it's been almost a year.
What has Neymar been up to this past year? Breakup with his partner, numerous parties, and a scandal involving a transgender influencer
During this time, Neymar has been involved in several scandals. There were rumors about his personal life, which were soon confirmed - just a month after the birth of his child, model Bruna Biancardi announced their breakup, reportedly due to Neymar’s repeated infidelity. Around the same time, a former employee sued him, accusing the Al-Hilal star of inhumane treatment.
Whenever updates about Neymar’s injury surfaced in the media, they were mostly negative, often revealing that his recovery was taking longer than expected.
In December, another scandal broke out involving Neymar. The footballer sued a transgender influencer, Sophia Barclay, who claimed she had an intimate relationship with him, which Neymar denied as a lie.
Meanwhile, Al-Hilal officials were left frustrated, as Neymar, instead of focusing on his recovery, was seen partying on a yacht, not behaving like someone recovering from a serious injury. Rumors began circulating about Neymar possibly leaving the club.
The frequency of Neymar's off-field scandals is alarming. By January, he was already involved in another controversy - a former Hungarian model accused him of being the father of her 10-year-old daughter. Additionally, Neymar reportedly helped his former Barcelona teammate Dani Alves, who was convicted of rape, by giving his family €150,000 as compensation for the victim.
While Saudi league clubs spare no expense, even the wealthiest sheikhs must be irritated by the fact that Neymar earns €3 million a week but has only played five games for Al-Hilal in a year. Neymar is 32 years old, and his football career seems to be in decline. Moreover, there is little indication that he will return to the field soon. Currently, Neymar is expected to play again only in 2025. His contract with Al-Hilal expires in June of that year.
