On Sunday, Real Madrid made an official announcement regarding the departure and contract termination of striker Karim Benzema. The French star concluded his 14th season with the Spanish giants, earning the status of a fan idol and becoming the team’s main star, particularly after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.
Striker Karim Benzema has officially concluded his 14th season at Real Madrid after 14 years of service to the club. Since joining in 2009 at the age of 21, he has become an iconic figure alongside Marcelo, establishing himself as the club’s record holder for titles with 25 trophies won.
Wearing the Merengue jersey, Benzema has amassed impressive numbers, featuring in 647 games, scoring 353 goals, providing 165 assists, and winning the Champions League on five occasions. With his departure from Real Madrid, Benzema now stands as the second-highest goalscorer in the club’s history, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted 450 goals.
Benzema could play in Arab football
Rumours now suggest that the French player may become the next winner of the Ballon d’Or in Saudi Arabian football. Arab press reports that officials from Al Ittihad are in Madrid to finalize Benzema’s signing, offering a two-season contract worth €100 million (R$ 540 million) per year, a sum higher than what he earned at Real Madrid.
The official announcement of this transfer will take place during the upcoming week. Additionally, Benzema has requested the presence of one of Real Madrid’s fitness trainers to accompany him to Saudi Arabia.
Before his departure, Real Madrid will face Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabéu in the final round of the 2022/23 La Liga season. Benzema is said to have liked the Arab’s project for his career.
Following the announcement of Benzema’s exit, several Real Madrid players took to social media to bid farewell to the striker. Vinícius Junior, his teammate in recent seasons, posted a photo with the player accompanied by a sad emoji in the caption.
