“Has more passion for football” - Al-Hilal coach makes bold comparison between Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar
Al-Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus recently pointed out a major difference in the personalities of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. The duo are currently plying their trade in the Saudi Pro League and are involved in a title race.
Ronaldo's Al-Nassr are second in the league table, seven points behind Neymar's Al-Hilal after 19 games.
Jesus stated that both footballers are excellent at what they do on the field. However, he believes that Ronaldo is more dedicated to football, while the Brazil international loves his life away from the pitch.
Jorge Jesus was quoted as saying (via UOL):
"Cristiano Ronaldo has more passion for football and, therefore, puts that as a priority. Neymar has more passion for other things and he puts these other things, which is his private life, ahead. But as a player he is fabulous and as man, I spent a month and a half with him, he positively surprised me in everything."
Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the first high-profile stars to join the Saudi Pro League. Since his move, superstars like Karim Benzema and Neymar have also moved to Saudi Arabia from Europe.
The Brazilian superstar arrived from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a fee of around €90 million. He has signed a two-year deal with Al-Hilal, which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2024-25 season. According to Forbes, he pockets around €150 million a year, which is six times more than what he earned in France.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are having contrasting seasons in Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar have had contrasting seasons in the Saudi Pro League. The former Barcelona and PSG forward is currently on the sidelines after picking up a cruciate ligament injury back in October 2023.
Neymar's form, however, was very underwhelming even before the unfortunate injury. The attacker had played just five games for Al-Hilal across all competitions and contributed a goal and three assists. He is yet to score in the Saudi Pro League for his new side.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, is enjoying a great season for Al-Nassr. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists from 25 matches in all competitions. 20 of those goals have come in the Saudi Pro League, making him the current top goalscorer in the competition.