In a surprising move, Karim Benzema, the 35-year-old former Real Madrid striker, has officially signed with Al Ittihad, as announced by the club on Tuesday.
This decision marks Benzema's departure from Real Madrid after an impressive 14-year tenure at the Bernabeu. His final goal for the club came in a 1-1 draw against Athletic Club, concluding the 2022-23 season.
It was initially expected that Benzema would extend his contract with Real Madrid for another year. However, he has now joined his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League, becoming the latest high-profile player to make the move. According to sources, the Saudi champions offered Benzema a lucrative two-year contract worth €400 million.
During his time at Real Madrid, Benzema achieved remarkable success, scoring a total of 354 goals in 648 matches.
His impressive contributions helped the team secure an impressive collection of 25 trophies, including four LaLiga titles, five Champions Leagues, three Copas del Rey, four Spanish Supercopas, four UEFA Super Cups, and five FIFA Club World Cups. He was also recognized as the Ballon d'Or winner in 2022.
Despite facing injury setbacks that led to his exclusion from the French World Cup squad, Benzema had a remarkable season, scoring 31 goals in 43 games and providing six assists. In the 2021-22 campaign, he played a vital role for Real Madrid, netting 27 goals in LaLiga and 15 goals in the Champions League, contributing significantly to the club's success in both competitions.
Benzema holds the distinction of being Real Madrid's second-highest all-time goalscorer, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo. The club organized a special event at its training ground on Tuesday to honor the Frenchman's contributions.
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