Renowned Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema has reached an agreement for a three-year contract with Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad, following his departure from Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old French striker enjoyed a remarkable 14-year tenure with Madrid, winning an impressive 25 trophies, which included five Champions League titles and four La Liga championships. However, Real Madrid granted Benzema an early release from his contract, allowing him to pursue new opportunities.
During his time with Real Madrid, Benzema netted a remarkable 354 goals, placing him second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the club’s all-time goal-scoring records. Interestingly, Ronaldo currently plays for another Saudi club, Al-Nassr.
Expressing his excitement about the move, Benzema commented, “It’s a good league, and there are many talented players. Cristiano Ronaldo is already there, a friend, which demonstrates that Saudi Arabia is making progress in raising its level. I am here to win, just as I did in Europe. I have been fortunate to achieve incredible feats in my career, conquering everything I could in Spain and Europe. Now, it feels like the right time for a new challenge and project.”
Under the management of former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, Al-Ittihad will be Benzema’s new team.
Having made 648 appearances for Real Madrid since his move from Lyon in 2009, Benzema bid farewell to the club by scoring a penalty in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao, making it his final contribution before being substituted.
On Monday, it was announced that Al-Ittihad was one of four prominent Saudi Arabian clubs acquired by the country’s Public Investment Fund, which also holds ownership of Newcastle United. Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, a club strongly linked with Paris St-Germain’s Lionel Messi this summer, are among the other clubs under the fund’s ownership.
