Can Neymar provide more Real regrets?

Al Hilal playing Real Madrid on their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 opener means Neymar will re-encounter Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and former rivals Real Madrid.

• Al Hilal will play Real Madrid in their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 opener

• Neymar has a lot of history with the Spanish superpower

• He will also be up against Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr

A 13-year-old was given the red-carpet treatment by Real Madrid in 2005. Neymar and his father were flown first-class to the Spanish capital. They were put up in a five-star hotel, given a VIP box for matches at the Santiago Bernabeu, showered with club merchandise and introduced to megastars David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane. Real realised their ‘Galactico Era’ was approaching its end. Deco, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Barcelona had just swaggered their way to La Liga glory. Furthermore, an Argentinian mega-prospect had just broken into the Barça first team. Los Blancos wanted their own Lionel Messi.

They were close to getting him. Neymar, however, ultimately elected to spend his teens at Santos. When he finally decided the time was right to cross the Atlantic, as a 21-year-old in 2013, he agreed terms with Real. A seemingly done deal nevertheless broke down when player and club couldn’t agree on what he described as “minor details”. They would come back to haunt Madridistas. Neymar instead joined Barcelona and, on his El Clásico debut, scored one and set up the other in a 2-1 victory. During four years at Camp Nou, he electrified as Barça lifted eight trophies – a majority at Real’s expense.

Neymar almost moved to the Bernabeu again towards the end of his spell with Paris Saint-Germain, but opted to sign with Al Hilal. He could make the 15-time European champions feel regret once again. The draw for the maiden 32-team FIFA Club World Cup™ was made today in Miami. Fittingly for scriptwriters, Real and Hilal will pitted against one another in their Group H curtain-raiser.

The Neymar subplots are plentiful. He will face the titans he almost joined thrice, his former arch-enemies, his former PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe and, in an intoxicating battle of exhilarating left-wingers, his Brazil colleague and close personal friend Vinicius Jr. Injury has plagued Neymar’s 16 months in Riyadh. He is, however, closing in on a return to fitness and, despite speculation linking him with a move away, recently reiterated his commitment to Hilal.

“The opportunity to play here and live in a country like this is very important for people,” he said. “That’s why I always say that I was very well received here. I’m very happy and I’m sure it will only get better. “I’m sure other stars will come here. I believe that many will have the opportunity to come here, and I think that everyone should have the opportunity to experience what I have experienced here.” It’s not just Neymar who is set for a Real reunion. Al Hilal gave the Spanish titans a strict examination in a thrilling 5-3 loss in the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022 final.

Incalculably ambitious, the Saudis have improved exponentially since then. Coach Jorge Jesus now has elite performers such as Yassine Bounou, Kalidou Koulibaly, Joao Cancelo, Renan Lodi, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Salem Al-Dawsari, Malcom and the uber-prolific Aleksandar Mitrovic at his disposal. The key to an opening-game upset, however, could be the costliest footballer in history. Will Real Madrid be made to pay for not capturing Neymar once again?

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