Connect with us

News

Neymar credits Ronaldo as catalyst for Saudi League transformation

Published

on

Neymar has credited Cristiano Ronaldo for kickstarting the remarkable transformation of the Saudi Pro League, while the Brazilian forward said he was extremely motivated to deliver success for Al Hilal.

Neymar, 31, completed a blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain to Hilal earlier this week, shattering the Saudi Pro League (SPL) transfer record to become the latest high-profile player to move to the kingdom during an unprecedented summer transfer window.

The Brazil captain follows the likes of Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, World Cup winner N’Golo Kante, Manchester City treble-winner Riyad Mahrez, and former Liverpool quartet Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho in moving to the Saudi Pro League this summer.

Neymar joins a Hilal side who have made several stunning deals of their own. The Riyadh giants, the most successful club in Saudi football, have broken the league transfer record three times this window, first by recruiting Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves from Wolves and again with the signing of Brazilian winger Malcom from Zenit St Petersburg, before Neymar completed the hat-trick.

Former Chelsea and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, previously of Lazio, will also be Neymar’s teammates.

It was Ronaldo, though, who seemingly paved the way when he joined Al Nassr in December last year, while the involvement of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in the league’s four biggest clubs has allowed this transformative summer to take place.

“I believe Cristiano Ronaldo started all of this and everybody called him ‘crazy’, and this and that. Today you see the league grow more and more,” Neymar said in his first interview since joining Hilal, adding that he’s excited to take on the Portuguese superstar and the rest of the big players in the league.

“It is exciting, meeting top quality players on the other teams thrills you, and motivates you to play even better,” he said. “And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, Firmino, that the excitement is even greater. So I am happy to join this league, facing them will be wonderful, it will be fantastic.”

Neymar, who signed a two-year contract with Hilal, undoubtedly adds even greater star power to the SPL, arriving with one of the most glittering records in world football which comprises 22 major club trophies for Santos, Barcelona, and PSG including seven league titles, the Uefa Champions League, and Copa Libertadores.

He is therefore the ideal fit for Hilal – the most successful club in Asian football with 66 trophies, including 18 league titles and four Asian Champions League titles, but Neymar insisted the focus is on the present and future.

“The league will be very competitive, especially after the signings made in the summer transfer window,” he said. “I believe competitiveness is important. That’s why I am joining this league. I am driven by challenges. I am there to help the league grow.”

Neymar is accustomed to playing alongside some of the most talented players in the world; at Hilal it will be no different, and he revealed the squad was a key factor in his decision to join the club.

“I think it is very important to have quality in the squad,” he said. “Obviously it helps in some decisions you take throughout your career. It was certainly for me. I am very excited to write a new story chasing all the objectives with the club and my teammates – winning more and more titles and fulfilling the club’s ambition. I am very excited in that regard.”

Neymar has not played a competitive match since March having been sidelined with a long-term ankle injury which required surgery. He did, however, participate in part of PSG’s pre-season as the Brazilian aims to regain fitness and he hopes both he and Hilal will continue to improve as the season progresses.

“It is a step-by-step process, training session after training session, game after game. We will grow more and more,” he said. “It is difficult to come and say ‘we are going to win’ before starting our work. That’s what I believe. To start work immediately, our objective is to win championships, win titles and surely reach the highest summit. It’s the fans aspiration, so that’s what we are aiming for.”

As for playing in front of Hilal fans, who help make the club one of the best-supported sides in Asia, Neymar said: “I believe when it comes to football, we have similar passion to that of Al Hilal fans. They can expect all the effort from me on the pitch. I will give my best for the club. Our goal is winning titles.”

Neymar not only becomes the latest Brazilian to join the SPL this summer, but continues an impressive tradition of Brazilian players to represent Hilal, following in the footsteps of of 1970 World Cup winner Rivellino. Since then, more than 30 Brazilian players have played for the Riyadh club.

“Of course a lot of Brazil will be watching the league,” Neymar said. “Obviously I will be there and I expect all Brazilians and everybody following league to support Al Hilal! The message I have for them is I will do my best to make them enjoy football, our goal is winning all titles.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

We have a modern sports administration in Lagos – Aiyepeku

Published

on

By

Sports administration has moved beyond the outdated rhetoric that characterizes the Nigerian system and inevitably leaves the country behind when results do not match inputs.

However, things have become different in Lagos over time, especially since the administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the helm of the Lagos State Sports Commission is ensuring that round pegs are put in round holes.

The duo of Mr. Sola Aiyepeku, Executive Chairman and Mr. Oluwatoyin Gafaar, Director General of the Sports Commission are goal scorers and technocrats in sports administration.

There has been synergy between the Sports Commission and other stakeholders, both in the public and private sectors in order to drive the THEMES agenda of Governor Sanwo-Olu.

Chairman Aiyepeku gave an insight into how sports is being run in the Centre of Excellence on Wednesday when he was the guest of over 300 journalists covering the ongoing 7th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State. The Youth Games has witnessed a high influx of sporting media since its inception at the Asaba 2023.

Aiyepeku told the journalists that he was ready for any jab of questions from the sportswriters, as he knows his onions when it comes to facing the inquisitiveness of sporting media as he was on media practitioner.

The session at the media centre of the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba was very entertaining, informative and educative as some of the journalists later confessed to Independent News Express.

Aiyepek took the time to explain to the journalists how sports are practiced in Lagos State. According to him, the administration lacks the old-fashioned style.

He stressed that as an administrator who has seen it all in the world of sport and traveled near and far, he knows that modern ways of working deliver results.

He revealed how the Sports Commission has integrated over 400 games masters and mistresses from educational districts in Lagos State into a modern school sports system by given them retraining at a recent workshop.

“It was a kind of revolution because we showed them the best sports practices. Not only have we equipped them to carry out their active-duty duties, but we have also equipped them with knowledge so that they can be useful to the society and their families after their service,” Aiyepeku said.

He also revealed what the state is doing to ensure that no sport is left behind.

“We value development, which essentially means giving everyone a sense of belonging. We have also managed to separate and classify these sports so we can focus on the results.

“We don’t necessarily want to win at all costs like other states do, but we want to advance the development agenda. According to us at the Lagos State Sports Commission, we are not desperate as we see these youth games as a talent scouting program,” he added.

He said that the Sports Commission also places a strong emphasis on development, as many of Lagos’ athletes benefit from some form of grant to help them prepare for and compete in tournaments without stress.

Aiyepeku stressed that Lagos is a breeding ground for athletes and will continue to be at the forefront of ensuring the comprehensive development of athletes.

Continue Reading

News

Sports Minister Excited About Young Talents Emerging From National Youth Games

Published

on

By

The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has expressed his delight over the number of emerging talents being discovered at the ongoing National Youth Games, taking place in Asaba, Delta State.

Senator Enoh stated that the Games stays true to its purpose of providing a platform for young talents to be unearthed.

He noted that talents are not in short supply in the country, what is needed is the platform for visibility. He stressed that the ministry is not oblivious of this need, and his administration is determined to make available these platforms across the federation.

“This edition of the National Youth Games has given visibility to very talented kids that represent the future of our sports as a nation. Availability of talents has never been a problem for our sports, but instead, the provision of platforms for these talents to be seen has remained our Achilles heel,” the Minister said. “This administration is committed to ensuring that platforms are available for budding stars, especially in our rural areas.”

“While our elite athletes continue to make us proud, we want to guarantee the future by creating a production pipeline for emerging talents to come through, transition, get nurtured and collect the baton when the time is right on the elite stage,” Senator Enoh concluded.

At the end of Day 6, Delta State remained top of the medals table with 36 Gold, 25 Silver and 23 Bronze medals. Lagos State sits second with 18 Gold, 12 Silver, and 15 Bronze medals, while Edo State occupies the third spot with 17 Gold, 12 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals.

Continue Reading

News

Lagos Cycling Gold Medalist Canvasses For Regular National Tourneys To Keep Athletes In Top Form

Published

on

By

The need to have regular local competitions is necessary to keep the athletes, especially the young boys and girls, who are outstanding in the National Youth Games in their top form and busy out of social vices.

This was the submission of one of Team Lagos cyclists, Isiaka Ibraheem who won two medals at the Asaba 2023 Games.

Ibraheem, a student of Government Junior College, Ikoyi, Lagos won a gold medal in the Point Race on Thursday. He had earlier won a silver medal in the Individual Time Trial.

While Ibraheem was so excited winning the gold and silver medals for Team Lagos, he wanted the sports authorities at both the state and national levels to organise more competitions to keep the athletes busy as lack of regular competitions slow down the development of the athletes in their choosing sports.

“We cannot demand for more at this stage if not for any other thing but to keep the athletes busy and in good form. When there is no competition, the form of these athletes would definitely go down. I want to beg the Federal Government of Nigeria to channel resources into exposing athletes from the National Youth Games to more local and international competitions,” Ibraheem said.

He gave kudos for what the Lagos State Government is doing for sports in the state, adding that the officials in Lagos Sports know their job and they take the welfare of the athletes serious.

“We have good training before traveling down to Asaba and this is what helped most of us at the National Youth Games,” he said.

Head Cycling Coach in Lagos, Lukman Oyebola also corroborated Ibraheem that more competitions are needed to give these young athletes future in sports.

He said if there could attention for Ibraheem, who had proven beyond reasonable doubt to be a good cyclist, the country would be better for it in the nearest future.

“Ibraheem is just going to 14 and the potential in him is great. I have no doubt that he would win gold in Asaba because he performed very well in tournaments we went to in Ibadan and Ogun State recently,” Coach Oyebola said.

Continue Reading

Trending