Al-Hilal recently won their 19th Saudi Pro League title, so the team's left-back, Renan Lodi, decided it would be an opportune time to play a practical joke on the team's star player. The player thought Neymar, who is recovering from a knee injury, was going to be the perfect victim of a light-hearted prank. That is to say, I bet he wish he picked a different teammate, as Neymar seemingly doesn't like getting pranked.
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Lodi tied all of the laces on Neymar's cleats in knots, which set off a retaliation, that ended with the prankster not being able to drive his car.
Renan Lodi tied knots in Neymar's shoes as the start of a series of pranks 👟
Neymar slashed Lodi's car tires in response 😅
(via @neymarjr) pic.twitter.com/fTNolsxpay
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 30, 2024
As an act of revenge, Neymar posted a video slashing his teammate's tires, with the caption reading, "One day of the hunt, the other for the hunter. We're off @renan_lodi."
Certainly, Neymar's "prank" was seen as an extreme response to a simple joke, which has many questioning if there was more going on behind the scenes.
This battle seems to be only getting started, as Lodi then responded by saying, "Next season is long, I eagerly wait for your Rolls Royce."
A fan commented underneath the post, "These are jokes between rich."
Maybe Lodi should slow down, as the higher the stakes go, Neymar certainly has more leverage. Last summer, the 32-year-old Brazilian soccer player signed a two-year deal with Al-Hilal, worth $300 million guaranteed. On the other hand, 26 year-old Lodi is on a deal worth around $21.7 million USD.
Neymar has extra time on his hands to strategize the next mischievous act, as he is still recovering from getting injured during the World Cup qualifier vs. Uruguay last October. After tearing his ACL and meniscus in his left knee, fans hope to see Neymar back on the pitch in the near future. Notably, he is the all-time top scorer in Brazilian soccer history, with 79 goals in 128 international appearances.
On Friday, Al-Hilal will face off with Cristiano Ronaldo's team, Al-Nassr, for the King Cup of Champions, which will be broadcasted at 2:00 pm ET (May 31).
