Metropolis Desk –
Karim Benzema’s departure from Real Madrid this summer has been formally announced by the Spanish giants. The striker will leave the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu after 14 years of service to Los Blancos.
Benzema will play his final game for Real Madrid this Sunday at home against Athletic Club, marking the end of an era for the club.
“Real Madrid and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to bring to an end to his brilliant and unforgettable time as a player at our club”, read a club statement put out on Sunday.
“Real Madrid would like to show its gratitude and affection to the man who is already one of our greatest legends.”
Benzema won 25 trophies throughout his fourteen seasons at Real Madrid, which set a club record. These included five Champions League championships, five Club World Cups, four Super Cups, four La Liga championships, three Copas del Rey, and four Spanish Super Cup victories.
At the age of 21, Benzema moved from the French club Lyon, where he had begun his professional football career, to Real Madrid. Since then, Benzema has played for Real in 647 games (across all competitions), appearing in 353 of them and scoring 353 goals. He ranks second all-time for Real Madrid in both La Liga and the Champions League in terms of goals scored.
Benzema is also the fourth-highest goal scorer in the history of the Champions League and the domestic league, respectively. The French forward is the current UEFA Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner.
This week, Benzema has been linked to a high-profile transfer to Saudi Arabia, where the Frenchman is reportedly being offered a 200 million Euro deal over two seasons.
Benzema’s new contract may possibly include a role as an ambassador for the nation’s joint World Cup bid in 2030.
Source – Marca
