2023-06-08 22:51:34
Karim Benzema. Al Ittihad / AI / Reuters / Panoramic
The French striker was presented with great fanfare and in front of more than 60,000 Al-Ittihad supporters. He said he was very ambitious and eager to win new trophies.
Just arrived, already adored. Karim Benzema settled in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) earlier this week and here he is in uniform, presented with great fanfare at the King Abadallah Stadium, the home of his club Al-Ittihad.
Because failing to attract Lionel Messi, who chose the United States and Inter Miami, Saudi Arabia has reserved a gala reception for Karim Benzema, this Thursday in front of 60,000 supporters. His new team’s yellow and black striped jersey on the back, the former star Real Madrid striker made his appearance to the cheers of the crowd before reaching a podium in the center of the field.
The 2022 Ballon d’Or, who has signed a three-year contract with the Saudi club and an amount that has not been revealed, then addressed the supporters in English to thank them, promising to drive the club “at the highest level”. Before slipping aAssalamu aleikum!” (Good morning). The 35-year-old then held up his Ballon d’Or, before taking a lap of honor sending autographed balloons to the crowd.
After 14 years in Madrid, where he notably won five Champions Leagues, the French international (97 caps, 37 goals), chose Tuesday to join the Saudi club Al-Ittihad. A few months after the arrival in the kingdom of his former teammate at Real, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is playing at Al-Nassr, a Ryad club.
In the stands of the stadium, filled in particular by families, we had waited in music to discover the star. Welcome messages, sometimes in French, were deployed as were flocked Benzema jerseys, that of Real and that of Al-Ittihad. We could also see the Frenchman’s jersey attached to that of his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Music at full volume, light effects, pyrotechnic show, clip to the glory of the attacker and the face of the player projected in 3D mapping in the sky, preceded the arrival of the star on the lawn where a giant KB9 had been drawn with lights.
«Why did I choose Al-Ittihad? It’s a club with a lot of values. It’s a club that just won (the national title, editor’s note), which is still growing“, had explained earlier in French, the center-forward during his press conference of presentation.
«I like the ambition and character of the fans. That’s why I chose this club. The Saudi Arabian fans and club are warm. I have already had the chance to play matches here (…) I have seen, in recent days, a lot of madness. It really touched me. I hope to give them back on the field this warmth“, he added in front of an audience of several dozen journalists.
«I won a lot of things in Europe. I signed here with a lot of ambition, to bring my experience, hoping to win a lot of titles, because I’m hungry. I still want to play and show what I can do on the pitch. To mount the club where it should be, that is to say at the very top“, also said the former star striker of Real.
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