Karim Benzema has reconsidered his choice to leave Real Madrid to join the Saudi championship this summer, his signing for Al-Ittihad opening a real exodus.
By joining Al-Nassr at the start of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to show the way. But then it seemed more like a default choice. Having become persona non grata with the Red Devils, the Portuguese found himself without a club after his forced departure from Manchester United and no major player in Europe seemed ready to welcome him. Karim Benzema followed suit in the spring. But this time the situation was completely different.
Named Ballon d’Or a few months earlier, KB9 had in fact been offered a new contract extension by Real Madrid and several European big names were on the lookout, ready to recruit him. But the former Lyonnais therefore preferred to join Saudi Arabia. A choice that he once again justified to the Saudi League media. “Already, I think that with everything I was able to have and do at Real Madrid, it was the time to look elsewhere,” he confided. And then Saudi Arabia, long before football, I wanted to come here. »
“And there the football project, since it is a project which was starting to break out all over the place. So I said to myself: ‘there you go, I too want to participate and develop Saudi football’. This is especially why I came here”he continued, adding: “ Plus it’s a Muslim country and they welcomed me with open arms. I immediately felt this love towards me. So that’s why. »
“When you travel there (to Mecca), you are right. For a Muslim, you’re right. This is what you should do, you feel good and pure. This is exceptional. I wish all Muslims to go there one day because that’s where the truth is.” he further indicated, expressing his happiness at playing in Saudi Arabia: “I am very, very happy, on and off the pitch. It’s a country that opened its arms to me. I feel the love of the people and obviously that will make me happy and I try to give back to them on the pitch.” The supporters are there and they love football, there is a lot of passion. »
The French striker therefore does not regret his choice, especially since the level pleasantly surprised him. “In Europe we don’t look much at Saudi Arabia. In any case when I played in Europe whereas now we watch a lot more. There are a lot of great players in this championship. It’s good, we’re off to a great start to the season”he added again.
