After an exceptional 14-season career at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has reportedly made the decision to leave the club. Considered a true legend of the club, the French striker will receive an official tribute on June 6th at the Real Madrid City, in the presence of club president Florentino Pérez.
Benzema joined Real Madrid at the age of 21 in 2009, coming from Olympique Lyonnais. During his 14 seasons with the Merengues, he won a total of 25 titles, a record for a club player. Among these titles are five Champions Leagues, five Club World Cups, four UEFA Super Cups, four La Liga championships, three Copa del Rey trophies, and four Spanish Super Cups.
The French footballer is also one of the players with the highest number of appearances for the club, with 647 matches to his name. He is the second-highest goal scorer in the history of Real Madrid, with 353 goals in all competitions, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo. He also ranks fourth among the all-time leading scorers in the UEFA Champions League and La Liga, with 86 and 237 goals respectively.
As for the next step in his career, the club stated that Karim Benzema has the right to decide his future. Rumors have circulated this week suggesting that he has received an offer from Al Ittihad, the current champions of the Saudi Arabian league. Although the transfer has not been officially confirmed yet, there are whispers that Benzema could sign a two-year contract with a salary exceeding 100 million euros per season, tax-free.
The next chapter for Benzema after leaving Real Madrid is thus generating a lot of attention, and Saudi Arabia could be the stage for his new footballing adventure.
