Football: Karim Benzema commits to Saudi Arabia

It’s been an open secret widely exposed by the Spanish press since this weekend. Now it’s official. Two days after his farewell to Santiago Bernabeu and Real Madrid – with the final goal, his 354^e White shirt and La Liga runner-up Karim Benzema signed for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad on Tuesday, June 6. According to AFP, citing a source inside the Saudi Arabian club in Jeddah, the 35-year-old French striker has signed a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, but which promises to be eye-watering.

After Real Madrid’s press release formalizing his departure on Sunday, the 2022 Ballon d’Or will go to the Saudi kingdom, whose sporting expansion, modeled on the geopolitical sport of its neighbor Qatar, is increasingly aggressive. Even on Thursday, the most successful player in the history of “Real Madrid” once again confirmed his presence in the Spanish capital: “J.I’m in Madrid, whoever speaks does it on the Internet and reality is not the Internet. Benzema insisted during a ceremony organized by a Spanish sports daily brand.

Karim Benzema “Has earned the right to decide his future”“, Real Madrid said in a statement on Sunday, paying tribute to his “legend”. If he had the opportunity to extend his Madrid contract by one year, the French player chose to move to the Saudi Arabian championship. The next three seasons, a native of Bron, in the conurbation of Lyon, will develop in Jeddah ” In the yellow and black of the Tigers, nine-time champions and two-time winners of the Asian Champions League. The Ballon d’Or title, a clean sweep for the recently crowned champions of Saudi Arabia, the French striker arrives on the Arabian Peninsula like a hero.

At the age of 35, ‘KB9’ is finding the same championship as his friend Cristiano Ronaldo – who plays for Club Al-Nasr in the capital, Riyadh. Very sympathetic to the reigning years at Real Madrid on the pitch – notably with four Champions League crowns – they will be in contention for the Saudi Pro League title and most likely the championship’s top scorer.

After securing Benzema’s presence in their league, Saudi Arabia are targeting another former Spanish league great. After recording his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has been keenly experienced by Al-Hilal, Riyadh’s other flagship club. And if the reigning world champion, who is also a tourism ambassador for the Saudi kingdom – which he joined in early May without his club’s permission, sparking a crisis with PSG – joins his former adversaries, the country will provide a new one. Victory” in sports, which became a new showcase for his “soft power”.