Fourteen seasons and 25 titles. Real Madrid confirmed on Sunday that its current captain Karim Benzema leaves the 'Merengue' team for Saudi Arabia after more than a decade in which he became "a myth" of the club, with which he still had one more year of contract after becoming effective an automatic renewal clause for winning the Ballon d'Or last year.
"Real Madrid C. F. and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to end their brilliant and unforgettable stage as a player of our club," the Spanish capital team said on Sunday in a statement released through its social networks, the same ones that the striker himself had asked not to pay attention to the rumors of a landing in Saudi Arabia.
"Karim Benzema's career at Real Madrid has been an example of behaviour and professionalism, and has represented the values of our club."
It is that the Frenchman arrived at the 'Merengue' in 2009 and with just 21 years, to leave the club as the player with the most trophies won in history, along with the Brazilian Marcelo. Among his achievements are five Champions Leagues, four Spanish Leagues, five Club World Cups and four European Super Cups.
"Karim Benzema has earned the right to decide his future," he said in a note from Real Madrid, implying that it was the player's decision to leave the club, which also expressed "his gratitude and all his affection to who is already one of our greatest legends."
Photo: AP/Francisco Seco
Benzema was for a long time in the shadow of the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, until his departure in 2018 allowed him to take a step forward and become the offensive leader of the merengue team.
"The madridistas and all the fans of the world have enjoyed his magical and unique football, which have made him one of the great myths of our club and one of the great legends of world football," Real Madrid said on Sunday.
Benzema leaves after having played 647 games, not counting the farewell he would have this Sunday against Athletic Bilbao in the last date of LaLiga, in which he scored 353 goals, placing him as the second highest scorer in the White House, only surpassed by Cristiano (450 goals).
Photo: JAVIER SORIANO / AFP.
Benzema's departure comes as a bit of a surprise after coach Carlo Ancelotti appeared to have pointed to his permanence on Saturday, recalling that he had "one year on his contract".
Benzema himself seemed to hint at his permanence when receiving an award for his career on Thursday, where he said before the rumors of departure that these were on the network and "the internet is not reality".
Your next destination? "Although Benzema's destination seems to be Al Ittihad, the player has signed a contract with the Ministry of Sports of Saudi Arabia that can send him to any of the Saudi teams qualified for the Asian Champions League," said the Madrid newspaper AS.
Real Madrid has scheduled an institutional farewell next Tuesday at the Ciudad Deportiva of the merengue club, which in the last two days announced the departures of Marco Asensio, Mariano and the Belgian Eden Hazard.
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