Why can’t Neymar play against Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday? Explanation of Saudi Pro League rule to keep Al Hilal star out of Al Nassr game
Cristiano Ronaldo is back in action on Friday when Al Nassr play a big Saudi Pro League match against champions Al Hilal.
The Portuguese star scored a late penalty as his side were knocked out of the King’s Cup this week, extending his wait for a trophy. They are already six points behind Al Hilal at the top of the table after eight games this season. The leaders won all eight games and scored 23 times in that series.
That means Friday’s match could potentially be important to Al Nassr’s hopes of challenging Al Hilal’s supremacy in Saudi Arabia this season – and it promises to be an enthralling encounter.
This is also a match that has been highly anticipated by fans due to the prospect of seeing Ronaldo take to the pitch against Brazilian star Neymar, who is finally back after a year away due to a serious knee injury. Unfortunately, the ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker will not be available.
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Why can’t Neymar play against Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday?
Neymar will not be allowed to play in Al Hilal’s match against Al Nassr on November 1 due to Saudi Pro League registration rules.
Competition laws stipulate that all Pro League teams must have no more than 10 non-Saudi players registered in their 25-man squad for the competition season. Neymar was not included in Al Hilal’s list of registered foreign players due to his absence through injury, with Brazilian full-back Renan Lodi taking his place in the squad after joining from Marseille in January 2024.
In other words, Neymar won’t be able to play a match in the Saudi league until at least January, when the league’s next registration window opens and Al Hilal can add him to their official squad list.
However, the 32-year-old is not completely prevented from playing: he is eligible for the AFC Champions League as the rules for that competition are different from the league regulations. That means his next match could be on November 4, when Al Hilal take on Esteghlal in the continental competition.
When did Al Hilal sign Neymar?
Neymar joined Al Hilal from PSG in August 2023 for a €90 million contract.
However, he made just five appearances in all competitions for the club before suffering a serious knee injury during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay last October.
Neymar’s contract, salary at Al Hilal
According to reports from CBS Sports, Neymar’s two-year contract with Al Hilal includes an annual salary of $219 million.
