RIYADH — Portuguese star of Al-Hilal Ruben Neves responded strongly to criticism about the transfer of a number of international football stars to Saudi clubs this summer, rebutting that his arrival to Al-Hilal was not for the sake of retirement. Neves' reaction to the criticism came in the backdrop of a galaxy of international stars signing with leading Saudi Pro League clubs. The Riyadh-based Al-Nassr started this with signing with the Portuguese international star Cristiano Ronaldo last winter. Saudi clubs signed contracts during this summer with a group of veteran stars, such as the French Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante, the Senegalese Sadio Mane, the Brazilian Fabinho and the Algerian Riyad Mahrez. Neves scored the winning goal on Wednesday for Al-Hilal against the Moroccan Wydad Casablanca 2-1, that enabled Al-Hilal to qualify to the quarter-finals of the Arab Clubs Championship. In a televised statement, Neves emphatically denied that he had come to the Saudi capital team for the sake of recreation. "We did not come here to retire, but to play football." Neves, 26, who bade farewell to Wolverhampton Wanderers to join the Saudi club, continued: "This league has invested well and it will be difficult. If they continue to invest like this, the Saudi Pro League will be among the most competitive in the world," he added.
