TOPSHOT - Hilal's Brazilian forward #10 Neymar warms up ahead of the AFC Champions League group B football match between UAE's Al-Ain and Saudi's Al-Hilal at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in al-Ain on October 21, 2024. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)
Football

Neymar returns in Al-Hilal win following 12-month ACL injury layoff

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Brazil forward Neymar returned to football action in Al-Hilal’s 5-4 win over UAE Pro League side Al-Ain in the Asian Champions League on Monday.

The 32-year-old made his first appearance in over a year after recovering from a devastating knee injury that saw him rupture both the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee.

Neymar picked up the injury in October 2023, while on international duty with Brazil during a game against Uruguay in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star, who is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, has been out for 369 days, but he came off the bench in the 77th minute to replace Saudi Arabian midfielder Nasser Al-Dawsari.

Neymar joined the four-time Asian champions, AL-Hilal, in August 2023 but played only five matches before suffering the horrible injury.

The reigning Saudi Pro League champions and league leaders will host Al-Taawoun next in the league at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday.

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