Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, after 14 years at the club, the Madrid team announced on Sunday.
The end of a long chapter. Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, after 14 seasons with the Spanish club, announced on Sunday.
“Real Madrid CF and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to end his brilliant and unforgettable period as a player for our club,” wrote in a statement. communicated the merengue club which receives Athletic Bilbao this Sunday (6:30 p.m.) for the last match of the La Liga season.
End of career in Saudi Arabia?
Arrived in 2009 in Madrid from Lyon, “le Nueve” leaves with 25 titles including five Champions League. His last European coronation, in 2022, also opened the doors to the Ballon d’Or, the first for a French player since Zinédine Zidane in 1998.
First in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo for years, the Lyonnais, who arrived in Spain in 2009, took control of Real’s attacking game once CR7 left, in 2018. He even became the official captain after the departures of Sergio Ramos and Marcelo being the “oldest” in the squad. Note that behind CR7, he is the second top scorer in club history, with 353 goals.
“Karim Benzema’s career at Real Madrid was an example of behavior and professionalism, he who perfectly represented the values of our club. Karim Benzema has won the right to decide his future, ”explains Real in its press release. His name has been mentioned for several days on the side of Saudi Arabia.
Real announced Tuesday at 12 p.m. a tribute to its player, in the presence of club president Florentino Perez.