Karim Benzema, the French striker, has left Real Madrid after spending 14 years at the club. Despite his departure, he remains a legend at the Bernabeu stadium. Benzema's transfer highlights the intricate and complex network of influences that can cause a player to trade loyalty and glory for money.
Although absent from the fans, the Bernabeu stadium still echoes with songs about Karim Benzema. He took a photo with club president Florentino Perez, proudly holding up his Real Madrid jersey. On the back of the jersey, his name "Benzema" and the number 25 were displayed, along with a handwritten note and his signature that read, "For my president. KB9."
Benzema is the second-highest goalscorer in the history of Real Madrid, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo. He has created unforgettable memories, such as his magical dribble goal against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, his surprising goal against Liverpool's Loris Karius in the final in Kyiv, his hat-trick against PSG, and his Panenka penalty against Manchester City in the journey to win the Champions League last year.
The photo taken with Perez was the last appearance of the living legend of Real Madrid as a player at the stadium he called home for 14 years. Just three days later, he confirmed signing a contract with Al Ittihad. It was indeed the end of a tumultuous, surprising, and fascinating story.
In August 2021, Benzema renewed his contract with Madrid, extending it until June 30, 2023. He solidified his role as the central striker for the team, filling the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in 2018.
The 1987-born forward has consistently maintained an impressive scoring rate, and in the 2021/22 season, he reached new heights. Benzema scored 44 goals and provided 15 assists to help Real Madrid secure a double of La Liga and the Champions League.
In October 2022, his performance was rewarded with the prestigious Ballon d'Or, just as Perez had predicted he would. "He always told me that," the striker shared after receiving the award. Later, there were reports that Benzema's contract had automatically been extended for another year due to a clause in his current contract.
Secret sources from Madrid denied this information, affirming that the club had not included such a clause in any contract. Months later, subsequent reports in Spain claimed that there was an unwritten rule, stating that any Madrid player who won the Ballon d'Or would have the option to extend their contract by 12 months.
On the night he won the Ballon d'Or, Benzema participated in interviews with several Spanish radio stations, including Onda Cero. When asked if he would retire at Real Madrid, he confirmed, "Yes, if there are no other options."
Karim Benzema, who rarely appears before the media, tried not to attract too much attention. He even refrained from publicly discussing his tragic World Cup experience in Qatar, where he did not continue with the French national team due to a mysterious injury and subsequently announced his retirement from international football.
Before the Supercopa de Espana final in January, a tense press conference was held at a facility of Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia), where Benzema's future was the subject of discussion. The striker gave a vague answer when asked about his contract extension. He said, "Have I renewed my contract? I am in Madrid, enjoying life like any other player. And in football, no one knows what can happen. I have dedicated myself year after year. I cannot say how long I will stay with Real."
In February, El Mundo reported that Saudi Arabian clubs were trying from Karim Benzema's departure from Real Madrid.
