Striker Darwin Núñez spoke openly about the challenging phase he faced while at Al-Hilal. The Uruguayan player reported having lived through six arduous months, mainly due to not having had the opportunity to take the field, and highlighted the fundamental support of his family. These revelations were made to the Saudi network Thmanyah and reported by the press.
“Firstly, I feel extremely happy to return to football. The most recent six months at Al-Hilal were quite difficult for me and my family, as I was not allowed to play,” said Darwin Núñez. He added that he doesn’t wish a similar experience on anyone, because “at the end of the day, all of us athletes aspire to compete, perform and enjoy what we do.”
After a period of little use, the player left Al-Hilal and signed a loan agreement with Al-Diriyah. This transition allowed the Uruguayan athlete to resume his sequence of games on the field. For Núñez, who arrived in Saudi football with experience at high-level clubs such as Liverpool and Benfica, the lack of minutes on the field at Al-Hilal represented a notable contrast.
Darwin played a crucial role in Al-Diriyah’s 3-0 victory against Al-Ettifaq on 30 August 2026 in the Saudi Championship. The striker was responsible for two of the goals in the match.
The Uruguayan player also mentioned that he tried to stay in shape and ready during the period in which he was not being selected, and highlighted the importance of family support to overcome this phase.
“At this point, I have already overcome this complicated phase”, concluded Darwin.
Darwin Núñez joined Saudi football after his time at Liverpool. Before playing in England, the striker had stood out playing for Benfica, in Portugal.
