Real Madrid officially bid farewell to Karim Benzema on Tuesday. The French forward is leaving the club after fourteen years on a free transfer.
- Real Madrid says goodbye to Benzema
- Forward could move to Saudi Arabia
- Forward played 647 matches for Real
What’s the news?
Real Madrid officially said goodbye to Karim Benzema on Tuesday. The club announced over the past weekend that the French forward would be leaving after fourteen years. President and club chairman Florentino Perez thanked Benzema for his services and mentioned that Benzema arrived as a ‘child’ in 2009 and now leaves as a true legend.
What did Benzema say?
After Perez’s praise, Benzema took the floor: “Thank you very much to Real Madrid. It was a good journey in my life. I have been lucky to fulfill my dream as a child thanks to the president. When I saw you, I said ‘he is the man who brought Ronaldo and Zidane.’ He is incredible. Today it’s time to go and see another story. The most important thing for me is that everything I’ve won, I’ve enjoyed like a kid. As I said in my presentation, ‘one, two, and three, hala Madrid!’
“Thanks also to Ancelotti, who gave me his confidence from the beginning. I’ve learned a lot with you. It’s a bit sad because I’m leaving my club. I signed for Madrid, and I wanted to retire here, but it hasn’t been like that. I will always be a Madrid fan. Thanks also to the fans for always giving me that strength. Thank you all, truly.”
The backstory
Benzema joined Madrid in 2009 in a transfer from Olympique Lyon. Over the course of fourteen years, the forward played 647 matches and scored 353 goals. During his time in Madrid, Benzema won 25 different titles alongside his teammates, including 5 Champions Leagues and 4 LaLiga titles. In 2022, Benzema was also awarded the Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player.
What’s next?
During his farewell, Benzema did not reveal anything about his future, but it is expected that he will be presented as a new player for Al-Ittihad in a few days. The forward is rumored to have received an offer from the Middle Eastern club to earn over 400 million euros in two seasons.
