“Cristiano has more passion for football, Neymar for other things”: controversial statement by the Al Hilal coach

The talented Brazilian footballer Neymar Júnior, 31, is going through one of the hardest moments of his career, since the player who plays for Al-Hilal Saudi FC of the Saudi Professional League suffers a serious injury of torn ligaments and meniscus of the left knee during a match played for Brazil against Uruguay, in the South American Qualifiers, in October 2023.

Although comparisons are usually odious, another world star who plays in that league, like Cristiano Ronaldo, is going through a very different state of form, without seeming to feel the weight of big names like himself. ney or Benzema who are also part of the competition.

It was precisely Jorge Jesus, the current coach of the team where Neymar plays, Al Hilal, who was encouraged to compare those present between the careers of his countryman and his coach.

“Cristiano Ronaldo has more passion for football and, therefore, makes it a priority. “Neymar has more passion for other things and puts those other things, which is his private life, first,” the coach stated, emphasizing the contrast between one and the other.

“We worked for a month and a half, no more. It's something out of the ordinary, it's out of the ordinary. And therefore we lost quality, at least offensively. “He is an easy child to lead, he is a very sweet and understanding child,” He tried to redeem himself afterwards, probably knowing the dart he had just thrown.

All this occurs in a context where Neymar has been in the news for extra-football issues, such as cruise you organized in Brazil for three days, surrounded by friends, a pause in the middle of the road to recovery.

It remains to be seen how Ney will take these statements, while he tries to accelerate his return: the tentative date for his return could be between July and August 2024post Copa América, if everything progresses as planned.