In what comes as a shocking news to several people in the footballing community, talismanic striker Karim Benzema will be leaving Real Madrid after 14 glittering years. Real Madrid and Karim Benzema were almost synonymous with each other in all these 14 years.
The 35-year-old French striker had come to the Spanish giants in 2009 and was a mainstay in their attacking department. He has won 25 titles with Real Madrid, which is a record for any player in this club.
“Real Madrid Football Club and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to bring his brilliant and unforgettable time as a player at our club to a close. Real Madrid would like to show our gratitude and affection to a player who is already one of our greatest legends,” read a statement from the club.
“Karim Benzema’s career at Real Madrid has been an example of behavior and professionalism, and has represented the values of our club. Karim Benzema has earned the right to decide his future,” confirmed Real Madrid.
What all titles has Karim Benzema won?
As the striker from Lyon was an epitome of class and composure, he had a great career at Real Madrid. With class oozing out from his boots, his creative abilities and his pace often made him stand out from his peers.
Karim Benzema won 4 LaLiga titles, 5 Champions League titles, 5 FIFA Club World Cup titles, 4 Super Cups, 3 Copa de Rey titles and 4 Spanish Super Cups.
This simply proves that he was an embodiment of hard-work, grit and determination at the Los Blancos.
When did Karim Benzema join Real Madrid?
Karim Benzema had joined Real Madrid from his former club, Lyon. He joined as a 21-year-old ambitious and young footballer who had a burning passion and desire in his heart. He played 648 matches for Real Madrid and netted 354 goals for them. This is across all competitions.
In this season, he had scored 31 goals in 43 games. Overall, he is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of most goals for Real Madrid.
Rumours of link-up to Saudi club Al-Ittihad
There were several rumours floating in the recent times that Karim Benzema will be making a move to Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittihad. Now that he has left Real Madrid, it seems that these rumours might be true.
Just like his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo who moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia in January 2023, we could well see Karim Benzema in the Middle-East.
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