After the jaw-dropping transfer of Neymar Jr. to Al Hilal for a staggering $418 million, the question arises – Is Saudi Arabia on its way to world soccer domination? Or will it suffer the same fate as the Chinese Super League (CSL)? In recent times, Saudi Arabia has made significant investments to bring top talents like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane to their league.

It is worth noting, however, that China also made similar big-money moves in the past but failed to sustain its momentum. Al Hilal’s upcoming rival coach, Des Buckingham, shed light on the lessons that can be learned from the Chinese league’s experience.

Saudi Arabia guided to learn from the Chinese Super League

Just a few hours ago, Neymar’s Al Hilal was placed in Group D for the AFC Champions League. In this group, they will be facing off against Nassaji Mazandaran, Mumbai City, and Navbahor. After the draw, Buckingham, the coach of Mumbai City, held a press conference. Talking to EssentiallySports, he addressed the similarities between Saudi Arabia’s ambitions and China’s failed attempt.

Just a few years back, the CSL witnessed a massive influx of international stars such as Oscar, Hulk, and Paulinho, thanks to the league’s vast financial resources. The Chinese league looked poised to become another hotbed for the world’s top players. However, over time, the league’s grand plans began to unravel.

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Talking about this situation, the Englishman admitted that he didn’t have in-depth knowledge. But he did note that there could be valuable lessons to be learned. “Obviously, 10 years ago, 12 years ago, I see what happened in China,” Buckingham said. “And I think if that’s being used as a similar model, there’ll obviously be learnings to take from that around how to build infrastructure and such.”

“I’ve not looked at their football structure, what they’re trying to do, or what their plan is,” the former Stoke City coach admitted. “But I’m sure there’s some learning certainly to take from what China was to what is now happening there”. This lesson is particularly relevant in light of Neymar’s huge transfer to Al Hilal. Let’s examine the benefits the winger stands to receive by joining Al Hilal.

The specifics of Neymar and Al Hilal’s deal

As disclosed earlier Neymar joined Al Hilal for a staggering $418 million deal. Also, Neymar’s annual base salary at Al Hilal is reported to be an impressive $175 million. Other than this, for every victory he achieves on the field with the club, Neymar stands to earn around $87,000.

Neymar and his pregnant girlfriend Bruna Biancardi will be residing in a spacious residence complete with a staff. Interestingly, they have been granted an exemption from a major law in the country that prohibits unmarried couples from living together under one roof. Furthermore, the 31-year-old will have exclusive access to his own private aircraft.

Additionally, he stands to earn a staggering $547,000 for each social media post or story he shares in order to promote Saudi Arabia through his digital platforms. Given the magnitude of this contract, it’s not surprising that Neymar made the move to Al-Hilal.

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