How Al Hilal Stars ‘Bathed’ for Neymar Jr to Welcome Him to the Club, Video

• Neymar has been officially accepted as a player by his Al-Hilal teammates
• The 31-year-old went through the customary rites for every new player at the club
• He is expected to make his debut for the club next month

Neymar Jr. underwent the traditional initiation ceremony reserved for all newcomers at Al-Hilal, as his new teammates extended a warm welcome to the Brazilian playmaker upon his arrival at the club.

The Brazilian playmaker became the latest in a line of renowned football stars to exchange the European stage for the Middle East when he signed up with Al-Hilal on a two-year deal.

The groundbreaking transfer marked the conclusion of his six-year tenure with Paris Saint-Germain, a period marked by both highs and lows, per GOAL.

Scheduled for a mid-September debut, Neymar, still holding the title of the world's most expensive signing since his 2017 move from Barcelona to PSG, per Transfermarkt, received a heartwarming reception from his Al-Hilal compatriots.

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In a video circulating on Twitter, now known as the X App, the former Santos and Barca icon was playfully welcomed by his new teammates as he sprinted through a guard of honour formed by the players.

Here is the video:

Neymar meets Koulibaly

Relatedly, Sports Brief reported that former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly gave the 31-year-old a warm welcome following the Brazilian's arrival in Riyadh.

In a video shared on social media, the Senegalese centre-back spotted Neymar at the club's gym facility, where the duo shared a moment together as they became teammates for the first time.

When is Neymar's Al-Hilal debut?

After his grand unveiling, Neymar was expected to make his eagerly awaited debut for Al-Hilal against Al-Feiha, but this anticipated event did not materialize.

Neymar's new coach, Jorge Jesus, conveyed that fans would need to exercise patience as they awaited an unspecified period for the debut of the new signing.

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Nevertheless, there is optimism that the former Barcelona star will return in action to face Karim Benzema's Al-Ittihad in the Saudi equivalent of the El Clasico.

Neymar's unfulfilled dreams

Sports Brief also covered Neymar's path to football stardom, highlighting how the world never truly witnessed the Brazilian at his absolute best.

By 31, the former Barcelona standout bid farewell to European football, clinching just a single UEFA Champions League title and failing to secure a Ballon d'Or award.

Regrettably, due to a series of unfortunate career choices, injuries, and even deliberate interference, football enthusiasts were only afforded fleeting glimpses of a player who should have rightfully been mentioned in the same breath as Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.