Karim Benzema made a surprising exit on Friday after several weeks spent in anonymity.
Arriving in Saudi Arabia last summer, things did not go as planned for Karim Benzema. The French striker, however, started his Saudi adventure well with 9 goals and 5 assists. But for some time now, the former French international has been at the heart of several controversies in his club, Al-Ittihad. After several weeks of discretion, Karim Benzema came out of silence this Friday.
Benzema puts an end to all rumors about his departure
A few weeks ago, Karim Benzema was announced as leaving Al-Ittihad. According to several sources, relations between the Frenchman and the Saudi club are no longer good. The former Real Madrid captain is not taking part in Al-Ittihad’s preparation course. In addition, Karim Benzema was cited in a controversy with his coach, Marcelo Gallardo. Criticism from fans of the Saudi club even forced the former OL player to deactivate his Instagram account. Active again on the social network, Karim Benzema took the opportunity to look back on his adventure in Saudi Arabia.
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Karim Benzema:
The project in 🇸🇦 is long term in a Muslim country. (..) Here I am also an ambassador. I’m here to bring great European players
The challenge ahead of us is to raise the league to the same level as the European leagues.BENZEMA INFLUENCE ⚔️😳 pic.twitter.com/Ua06z4kAEY
– Al Ittihad FR 🇫🇷 (@al_IttihadFR) February 9, 2024
“(Being in Saudi Arabia) is a new challenge that I like, a long-term project and in a Muslim country,” he first explained. I am not only a footballer here in Saudi Arabia, I am also an ambassador. I am here to bring in great European players soon, even if there are already great ones in the Saudi championship. Our challenge is to raise it to the same level as the European Leagues “, he said in an interview with GQ Middle East.
Karim Benzema is not yet thinking about the end
Winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2022 after a more than successful season with Real Madrid, Karim Benzema decided just after to end his Madrid adventure. But the former French international could have ended his career. His lackluster performances with Al-Ittihad also are perhaps a sign that it is time to call it quits. But Benzema is not of this opinion. Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema is not ready to retire.
GOAL AR / Getty
« Time will tell (what happens next), but I will be the one to choose when my career ends… Ultimately, I would like to be remembered as someone who started at the bottom and climbed alone to the top, and despite all the obstacles I encountered”added the 2022 Ballon d’Or.
2024-02-10 11:03:36
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