Karim Benzema revealed the reasons why he decided to leave Real Madrid and move to Saudi Arabia. He remained silent for many years about what led him to leave the club, where he became the second-highest scorer of all time, with 354 goals.
Once Cristiano Ronaldo left Madrid, Benzema took over as the team’s offensive leader. He delivered an outstanding performance that earned him the Ballon d’Or, scoring more than 20 goals per season. So, why did he decide to leave the team in 2023?
A difficult decision
Karim Benzema left a significant legacy at Real Madrid. That’s why he stated to Los Amigos de Edu: “It was a moment when I had to say that I wanted to stay at the highest level, at Madrid’s top level, as captain, etc… You never know what will happen next year.”
The French striker carefully analyzed his options before leaving the club where he became a football star. “It was always in the back of my mind. The day I win everything with Madrid, I think I will say ‘that’s it,’ and I will move to another club where I won’t have to play against Madrid,” he explained. This demonstrates his level of loyalty to Real Madrid. In fact, for this reason, he avoided clubs like PSG or Manchester City.
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“In Madrid, I had a rough start. It was very difficult for me, but I never gave up, and thanks also to Florentino Pérez, who was always by my side,” Karim Benzema said, acknowledging that things were not easy at first. However, he won every possible title with Real Madrid and became a legend.
Benzema already has retirement plans
Karim Benzema still has a lot to offer in the remaining years of his contract with Al-Ittihad. With this team, he has scored 16 goals in the Saudi Pro League, making him the second-highest scorer in the competition, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Benzema is already thinking about his retirement plans. He made it clear that he does not want to become a football coach, as he believes “it seems more complicated than playing. You have to talk to 20 or 25 guys, and you have to choose one over another.” Still, he wants to remain involved in the football world, stay close to Florentino Pérez, and maintain ties with Real Madrid.
