On a night of intense football, Salman Al-Faraj, captain and star of NEOM FC, broke his silence to comment on the historic match that brought him together for the first time against his former team, Al-Hilal, which ended in a 2-1 victory for "The Boss." This match was more than just 90 minutes of football competition; it was a pivotal moment in the career of one of Saudi football's legends.
In statements to the official broadcaster after the final whistle, Al-Faraj revealed the psychological struggle he experienced before and during the match, saying, "My feelings today are confused and unclear. I was very worried about this match, but in the end, we managed to put on a good performance, and luck wasn't on our side." He added, praising his new team's performance, "We played a great match today against a strong opponent, and we deserved a better result than a defeat. We will continue working to perform at our best in the coming period," emphasizing that Neom has top-level players in every position.
The end of an era and the beginning of a new challenge
Salman Al-Faraj's statements carry immense weight given his long and storied history with Al-Hilal. He spent many years within the walls of the Riyadh-based club, achieving record-breaking feats and becoming the most decorated player in the history of the Saudi League, in addition to leading the team to continental glory in the AFC Champions League. Therefore, seeing Al-Faraj in a jersey other than Al-Hilal's blue is an extraordinary event for Saudi fans and for the player himself, which explains the "mixed emotions" he expressed.
NEOM project and the ambition to compete
On a technical level, NEOM's strong performance, led by Al-Faraj, against the league champions reflects the ambitious goals of the rising club's sporting project. Standing toe-to-toe with Al-Hilal, a team packed with international stars, confirms that NEOM is steadily progressing towards establishing itself as a rising force in Saudi football. Having a leader with Salman Al-Faraj's experience in midfield gave the team the confidence and balance needed to compete with the big clubs.
It is worth mentioning that the match ended with Al-Hilal winning 2-1, so that “the leader” continued its series of victories, while Neom came out with great moral gains despite the loss, most notably the manly performance and fighting spirit shown by the team, which bodes well for a promising future in the upcoming competitions.
