How Neymar fared in his first game for Al Hilal

Whistles, boos and jeers rang around the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on Neymar's long-awaited debut for Al Hilal.

The club's costly acquisition was the cause of this hostile reaction during Friday's 6-1 drubbing of Al Riyadh but he was not the recipient. That dishonour fell upon the unfortunate shoulders of Salem Al Dawsari.

The former darling of the Saudi giants - a player who came through the club's academy and scored in the 2019 AFC Champions League final - bore the brunt of his fans' ire for having the gall to take an 87th-minute penalty instead of his new teammate.

Here's how Neymar managed to establish himself as a firm fan favourite after a 30-minute cameo.

Neymar's performance vs Al Riyadh

Swaggering through the swathes of open space in an unfamiliar blue shirt, the lead-up to Neymar's first assist for Al Hilal had the air of a testimonial about it. The gulf in resources between the two clubs exacerbated the lopsided nature of the contest.

Neymar's £77.6m move to Al Hilal was part of a gargantuan summer outlay from the biggest club in Saudi Arabia. Chelsea were the only team on the planet to spend more in the off-season. Al Riyadh's expenditure, by comparison, maxed out with a €1m loan fee for Real Betis' Juanmi.

Al Riyadh were already trailing by three goals, desperately throwing players up the pitch in the vain hope of an unlikely comeback, when Neymar sauntered forward, rolling the ball across for Malcom - who cost £51.7m - to pick out the bottom corner.

Neymar almost teed up his compatriot 15 minutes earlier. The buzzing former Zenit Saint Petersburg winger laid a pass off to Neymar before haring into the box. With a lazy stab of his right boot, Neymar picked out Malcom.

Al Riyadh goalkeeper Martin Campana made a more physical connection with Malcom, sending him pinwheeling in mid-air after a hefty collision. Nasser Al Dawsari was on hand to snaffle up the loose ball, making it 3-0.

Given licence to roam in Riyadh, Neymar popped up all over the pitch. The 31-year-old received the ball on the left side of the penalty box in the dying embers of an open contest, spinning his first touch onto Ali Al Zaqaan's outstretched hand.

Much to the fervent disappointment of his own fans, Salem Al Dawsari took the subsequent spot kick. Neymar was among the first to offer his congratulations in the 89th minute.

Al Hilal's sole aim throughout the nine minutes of second-half stoppage time seemed to be geared around securing a debut goal for Neymar. Yet, Campana, after such a feeble attempt to stop Malcom's strike, twice denied Neymar from close range. On the second occasion, Al Riyadh's keeper tipped the ball onto the crossbar only for Al Dawsari to follow in for his second of the night.

Neymar was denied a first goal for his new club the week after he became the leading scorer of Brazil's men's national team. Al Hilal's support celebrated that international honour with a billowing flag of their new Brazilian. But it was not the only piece of fan choreography on display.

Unlike Neymar, Aleksandar Mitrovic marked his Al Hilal debut with a goal and opened the scoring against Al Riyadh, taking his tally to five strikes in four games. In honour of their new talisman, Al Hilal's fans mocked up a banner that lauded Mitrovic as the leading scorer of the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League. Not quite the same calibre of achievement as outscoring Pele, but celebrated all the same.

When could Neymar make his first start for Al Hilal?

Al Hilal manager Jorge Jesus has not had the firmest grasp on Neymar's availability during his short time in charge of the Brazilian. The former Flamengo coach couldn't believe that Neymar had been called up to the national team for the September fixtures but watched on as his number 10 started both games.

Jesus could field Neymar from the off for the first time as soon as Monday 18 September when Al Hilal are scheduled to begin their AFC Champions League campaign against Uzbek side Navbahor.

However, there is uncertainty surrounding the participation of Al Hilal - one of four Saudi sides owned by the nation's Public Investment Fund (PIF) - in the competition given the rules against multi-club ownership.

Al Hilal also begin their campaign in the King Cup before finishing September with the visit of Al Shabab, arguably the biggest Saudi club outside PIF's umbrella of influence.

Al Hilal's upcoming fixtures

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