Karim Benzema said no to PSG and Manchester City! This is indeed what he reveals in the program Edu and his friends. After many years spent in Real Madrid, the French striker took the direction of Saudi Arabia, where he signed for the Al-Ittihad club in the summer of 2023.
After winning the Ballon d'Or in 2022, the player explains that he wanted to leave Casa Blanca through the big door:
“I accomplished everything, starting like a child and ending like a man. With all the titles and the Ballon d'Or, I wanted to go on a good note. No one knows how I would have performed the following year. »»
“For me Real Madrid is the best club in the world. I didn't want to go and play in another team that could play against Madrid like PSG or City ”,
He adds, thus marking real proof of love and a mark of respect for Real Madrid, which he joined in 2009.
Asked about his current life in Saudi Arabia and his career with Al-Ittihad, Karim Benzema indicates that the requirements are the same as within the Madrid club: “I feel very well here, quiet. It's not the same as Real Madrid, even if here you must also win. »»
Benzema back at Real?
Once their careers are over, most players join their former clubs as a coach or sports director. Karim Benzema should not derogate from the rule. A comeback among the Merengues could be natural continuity for “KB9”, close to the Madrid president Florentino Perez, whom he considers “Like a father”.
“For my future, I don't know. I have two years remaining on my contract with Al-Ittihad. It depends on the way I feel every year. Being a coach is undoubtedly more complicated than being a player. I want to stay close to football. I want to stay close to Florentino when I retire ”, he said.
For the moment, the “nueve” has fun in Saudi Pro League. This season, the former three-color international has scored 18 goals and delivered 7 assists in 22 games.
