Former Real Madrid star, Karim Benzema, left abruptly in July 2023 when it was least expected. Months later, the 37-year-old forward reveals his motivations at the time and the conversation he had with Florentino Pérez about the matter.
He will go down in history as one of the legends. Due to his many years of dedicated service and especially his exploits in the Real Madrid team, Karim Benzema holds a special place in the hearts of Madridistas. Even though he has an electric relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also dearly loved by many Madrid fans, KB9 will always be cherished in Madrid. At 37, the French striker continues to shine in the Saudi league (16 goals this season). Nineteen months ago, no one could have imagined that he would make the decision to join Al Ittihad.
Benzema’s revelations about his departure from Real
Indeed, while he was the undisputed leader of Madrid’s attack and had taken Vinícius Júnior under his wing, Karim Benzema abruptly decided to leave in 2023. What started as a mere rumour, one that many dismissed, became a reality. Despite still having much to offer Real Madrid, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner chose to sign for Al Ittihad, where he was offered a monstrous salary of 100 million euros annually. While he couldn’t resist the Saudi offer, Benzema was also pushed to leave due to the young players surrounding him at Madrid.
In the podcast Le Club des Amis d’Edu, broadcast this weekend, the former French international shared new details about his departure. “When Florentino Pérez signed me, I told my father that as long as he was at Real Madrid, I would stay. When I wanted to leave, he was the first person I called. He didn’t quite understand my choice… I told him that the young players, Vinícius and Rodrygo, were ready,” Benzema shared. In fact, KB9 was right, as after his departure, the young players remarkably carried Real Madrid forward.
Vinícius and Mbappé: Benzema talks about them
In last season’s Champions League, Vinícius proved to the world that he had the ability to take on Benzema’s role. Moreover, the captain of Al Ittihad believes the decision not to award the 2024 Ballon d’Or to Vini was an unjust one. “I don’t want to talk about France Football… Vinícius was decisive in every match during a year in which he won the Champions League, and there was no other player who deserved it more than him. I sit down to watch football and I see him doing things that only the best do. I sent him a message when he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or; he was sad,” Benzema emphasised.
In any case, Real Madrid didn’t waste time bringing in a new number 9 to replace the Ballon d’Or winner. A true fan of the French, Florentino Pérez pulled out all the stops to bring Kylian Mbappé, the French team captain, to Madrid at the end of last season. Happy with the arrival of his young compatriot, KB9 urged him to put himself under significant pressure to live up to expectations. “Mbappé? His situation is different from mine. I arrived at 21, and he arrived at 25. He knows that at Madrid, if you fail, they will destroy you because they brought you in just to score goals. The pressure is huge, and he knows it.”
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