MADRID – Karim Benzema, winner of the Ballon d’Or, bid farewell to Real Madrid in a modest, private ceremony Tuesday, after a 14-year, trophy-laden tenure with the LaLiga club.
The 35-year-old French striker will depart as a free agent during the offseason and sign a two-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad reportedly worth more than 100 million euros ($106.93 million).
There were no tears shed during the ceremony, which lasted less than 20 minutes and was restricted to players, family, and close acquaintances.
“I will always remember Real Madrid. It is impossible, as this institution is the greatest in history. Benzema told a small audience at Real’s training facilities, “I believe the time has come for me to move on and discover a new story.”
“With so many emotions, it’s difficult to speak, but I wished to thank Real Madrid and my teammates. It was a positive chapter in my existence. I have been fortunate enough to realize my childhood ambition.”
Having joined Real Madrid in 2009 from Olympique Lyonnais, Benzema has become the club’s primary goal-scoring threat since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus in 2018.
Benzema scored 354 goals for Real Madrid, placing him second on the club’s all-time tally behind Ronaldo.
In the 2021-22 season, he scored 44 goals in all competitions and led the team to a record-breaking 14th European title as well as the LaLiga championship.
This made him the first French player to win the Ballon d’Or since Zinedine Zidane in 1998, and the fifth Frenchman overall.
President of Real Madrid Florentino Perez praised Benzema for his contributions to the club.
Perez stated, “Karim, you have been a model of behavior and professionalism in our club.”
“You’ve earned the right to determine your own fate. A future that belongs only to you, which we must respect.”
($1 = 0.9352 euros)
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