Karim Benzema: the final chord of his career at Al-Ittihad?

He is also a player who combines the best features of Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo. Karim Benzema is the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and the hero of the most high-profile transfer of this summer's off-season. The Real Madrid legend has moved to the Middle East to play. It is very likely that playing for Al-Ittihad from Saudi Arabia will be the last chapter in the Frenchman's brilliant career.

Commitment to clubs

Why could Al-Ittihad be the last club in Karim Benzema's football career? One very important feature of the French forward is a vivid example of the dedication to the club for which he plays. If you do not count the modest Bron Terrayon, where Benzema came to football as a child, then in Karim's career, Al-Ittihad is only the third club. In 1996, he joined the youth team of the French Lyon. And there he grew from the youth team not only to a "foundation" player, but also to the team's top scorer, becoming its main star. With Lyon, he won seven trophies: four times championship, Cup and French Super Cup. Benzema also won a number of individual prizes. In particular, the top scorer of the French championship and the best player of the season in League 1. In addition, he performed brightly in the Champions League, scoring for Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Fiorentina and became a target for many European clubs.

After reaching the pinnacle of his career in Lyon, he began to defend the colors of Real Madrid. His path in Spain was not easy. The 2010/11 season, for example, was his worst at Madrid. His relationship with Portuguese coach José Mourinho was difficult, he scored few goals, and he was spoiled on the bench. But the Frenchman proved he could handle the pressure and remained loyal to the team no matter what. He experienced ups and downs, changes of coaches and players. As time went on, Benzema developed into the perfect partner for Cristiano Ronaldo and after the Portuguese left, Karim transformed into a true leader of Real Madrid. The Ballon d'Or is first and foremost the result of his professional development, not a personal obsession. During his years at Lyon and Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has proven that he is obsessed with the team, not himself. He has always put the success of the team above his personal ambitions.

Cyclicality in football

Interestingly, Karim Benzema's move to Al-Ittihad has a certain symbolism. After all, the Frenchman first wore a Real Madrid shirt against this Jeddah City team on July 26, 2009, when Madrid played in a friendly Peace Cup. At the time, Real Madrid, with new head coach Manuel Pellegrini and a unique trio of strikers, played against the Saudi Arabian club: Ronaldo - Benzema - Raul. The match between Real Madrid and Al-Ittihad ended in a 1-1 draw.

“Al-Ittihad is a new challenge for me. This is a quality league with a lot of good players. Cristiano Ronaldo is here too. He is my friend, and his presence suggests that the Saudi league is moving forward. I came here to win, as I did in Europe,” Karim Benzema said at his presentation at the new club. These words reflect his nature. He is ready to start going to the top again and not to be afraid of challenges. Even in his 35s. Although for Karim, it is not age. Last season, he confirmed this with results on the field: Benzema scored 31 goals and gave 6 assists in 43 matches. Therefore, he arrived in Saudi Arabia not only in good shape, but also with invaluable experience behind his back.

Last year, Karim Benzema said he fulfilled the three dreams he aspired to: build a house for his mother, play for Real Madrid and win the Ballon d'Or. With Al-Ittihad, the Frenchman signed a three-year deal. That is, he does not plan to tie up with football soon. And then what does he want to achieve in the Arabian club? I think the French striker is here to enjoy the game and represent a new era of football in Saudi Arabia.