Karim Benzema (foto: Official TW/IG/FB account)
Karim Benzema opened up about his career, his time at Real Madrid, and his future in an exclusive interview on Los Amigos de Edu.
The French striker, now playing for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, reflected on his 14-year spell at the Bernabéu and revealed his desire to remain close to Florentino Pérez when he eventually retires.
Life in Saudi Arabia
Since leaving Madrid, Benzema has embraced a new chapter in Saudi football. Despite the change in environment, he maintains the same discipline and routine he had in Spain.
"I feel good here, calm. It's not the same as Madrid, but here you also always have to win. The level increases every year, and they demand titles. My day-to-day life is similar—I train in the gym at home, then with the team in the afternoon. At night, I might go out for dinner or to the beach. Here, like in Madrid, you can't walk in the streets because people are crazy about football," Benzema explained.
Vinicius, the Ballon d'Or, and Mbappé at Real Madrid
The striker also addressed the Ballon d'Or controversy, voicing support for Vinicius Jr., who finished second behind Spain’s Rodri.
"I don't want to talk about *France Football*, but Vini deserved it. When Madrid was European champion, he was decisive. He does things that only the best players can. I sent him a message when he didn't win—I was sad."
On Kylian Mbappé, who finally joined Real Madrid last summer, Benzema had some advice:
"He knows that at Madrid, if you miss, they kill you because they brought you only to score goals. The pressure there is huge. His situation is different from mine—I arrived at 21, he came at 25."
Why Benzema left Real Madrid
With 354 goals and 145 assists in 14 seasons, Benzema left Madrid at the peak of his career, winning the Ballon d’Or before moving to Saudi Arabia.
"I did everything. I started as a boy and ended as a man. With all the titles and the Ballon d’Or, I wanted to leave on a high. Nobody knows how I would have performed next year. Madrid is the best club in the world, and I didn’t want to leave to compete for another team like PSG or City."
However, adapting to Madrid in the early years wasn’t easy:
"It was very complicated. I didn’t know what the environment was like in Madrid. I came from the bottom, and I knew that if I gave up, I wouldn’t succeed. When you're young, it's difficult to accept criticism, especially being far from family and not speaking the language. But in Madrid, you learn to be mentally strong. Now, criticism makes me laugh."
Florentino Pérez’s influence and Benzema’s future
Benzema credited Florentino Pérez as a key figure in his career and recalled how the Real Madrid president personally convinced him to join the club.
"I was in Lyon, and my father called me to come home quickly. When I arrived, Florentino was there. I was just thinking, 'This is the man who brought Zidane and the Galácticos.' He told my father that as long as he was in Madrid, I would be there. He was the first person I called when I decided to leave. He didn’t quite understand, but I told him Vinicius and Rodrygo were ready."
As for his post-playing career, Benzema remains uncertain but made one thing clear:
"I don’t know when I’ll retire. I have two years left on my contract with Al Ittihad, and I’ll see how I feel each year. Coaching seems more complicated than playing, but I want to be close to Florentino when I retire."