Karim Benzema signs for Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad

Gulf Today Report

Al Ittihad Club, the champion of the Saudi Professional Football League, announced on Tuesday the contract with Frenchman Karim Benzema from Real Madrid until 2026.

Al-Ittihad published a video clip of Benzema signing the contract and raising the club’s shirt, which had 2026 written on it.

Benzema said in the video: "I am excited to see you in Jeddah."

Benzema, the Ballon d'Or winner, bid farewell to his club, Real Madrid, earlier on Tuesday, in a small and private ceremony, without the presence of fans and the media, after a busy 14-year career.

The 35-year-old French striker left his club by mutual consent in order to move to the Saudi club Al Ittihad in a deal estimated by the media to be worth more than 100 million euros ($ 106.93 million).

Benzema joined Real in 2009 from Olympique Lyonnais, and became the focus of the club's attack and its main scorer after Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Juventus in 2018.

Benzema scored 354 goals with Real, and ranks second in the club's scorer list throughout its history, behind Ronaldo.

Benzema presented his best season in 2021-2022, scoring 44 goals in all competitions, to lead his club to consolidate its lead and win the European title for the 14th time in its history, in addition to winning the Spanish League title.

Benzema won the Ballon d'Or and became the first player to win that award since Zinedine Zidane did it in 1998, and the fifth French player to achieve this achievement in general.