Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema will be leaving Real Madrid, and is expected to sign for a Saudi Arabian club.
In an official statement, Real Madrid Football Club stated that it has agreed with captain Karim Benzema to bring his “brilliant and unforgettable time as a player at our club to a close.”
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In the words of the club, it said that it would like to show gratitude and affection to a “who is already one of our greatest legends.”
The announcement comes after Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti had said Saturday there was “no doubt” about Benzema’s future being at Madrid, noting the forward had one more year left on his contract.
And Benzema himself had said “not everything you read on the internet is reality” after reports emerged in the week about his potential departure to Saudi Arabia.
Karim Benzema joined Real Madrid from France’s Ligue 1 side Lyon in 2009, at just 21 years of age, and has been a fundamental player in a golden age of the club’s history.
Benzema established himself as a key player alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the vaunted “BBC” attacking trident, before developing into the team’s leader when the Portuguese striker left in 2018.
During the fourteen seasons in which he wore the Madrid shirt, he won 25 titles, a record number for any Real Madrid player: 5 European Cups, 5 Club World Cups, 4 European Super Cups, 4 Leagues, 3 King’s Cups and 4 Spanish Super Cups.
Karim Benzema is the current UEFA Ballon d’Or and UEFA Player of the Year, as well as being included in the FIFA FIFPRO XI and winning the Pichichi Trophy 2022.
Karim Benzema is the fifth player who has worn the Madrid shirt the most times with 647 appearances, and is Real Madrid’s second all-time top scorer with 353 goals, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo on 450.
He is also Real Madrid’s second all-time top scorer in both La Liga and the European Cup. He is also the fourth top scorer in the history of the Champions League and the fourth top scorer in the history of La Liga.
Next Tuesday 6 June, at 12:00pm (CEST), an institutional act of homage and farewell to Karim Benzema will take place at Real Madrid Sport City, which will be attended by the club president, Florentino Pérez.
The French forward, 35, has been heavily linked this week with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
BBC reported that Benzema, who had a year left on his contract, is set to move to Saudi Arabia after receiving a “record offer” from Al-Ittihad, quoting Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.
Madrid confirmed on Saturday that Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz are all leaving this summer too.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
