Neymar Jr claims he was 'very upset' with Al-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus for saying he didn't have to capability to play like the rest of the team

Neymar Jr has revealed that he was very upset to hear the comments made by Al-Hilal manager Jorge Jesus about him late last year. The Brazil international left the Saudi giants after his contract was terminated by mutual consent, allowing him to join boyhood club Santos on a six-month deal.

Following his Santos debut, Neymar spoke to the media about the comments of his former manager, insinuating that his performance was a response to the Portuguese manager's comments. He pointed out that he is ready to play, even if he is unable to play 90 minutes yet due to his recent injuries.

“I’m ready to play. Of course I won’t be able to play 90 minutes, I came from a long time out injured. I needed games. Obviously I was VERY upset with Jorge Jesus’ words when he said I didn’t have the capability to play like the rest of the team."

Neymar endured a nightmare spell at Al-Hilal after signing for the club in the summer of 2023 from French giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for €90 million. The 33-year-old made just seven appearances for the club as he suffered two major injuries in his 18 months on their books. Al-Hilal manager Jesus claimed that the forward could not play at the same level as the rest of the team, justifying his decision to exclude him from the squad for the second half of the season.

The forward ruptured his ACL and damaged his meniscus while on international duty with Brazil in November 2023, leaving him sidelined until October 2024. Two games into his return, he suffered a hamstring tear and has only returned to action for Santos.

Neymar makes second Santos debut in Paulista A1

Brazilian superstar Neymar made his debut for Santos in their Paulista A1 game against Botafogo Ribeirao Presto which ended in a 1-1 draw. The 33-year-old returned to his boyhood club 12 years after initially leaving to join Barcelona in Europe.

Neymar joined the club on a six-month deal after leaving Al-Hilal, and was introduced off the bench at halftime for his debut. Sporting the number 10 shirt previously worn by Pele, the forward was handed the captain's armband for his second debut.

The forward was the most fouled player in the game, suffering five fouls from the opposition. He completed 22 passes and attempted six shots in the game after coming on for Gabriel Bontempo as he played the most minutes in his career since 2023.