(foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Karim Benzema, currently with Al Ittihad, visited his former Real Madrid teammates in Jeddah and left an inspiring message for Vinicius Junior.
The French striker, who knows the feeling of winning the Ballon d'Or, encouraged Vinicius to keep pushing for the prestigious award.
Benzema reflected on his conversation with the Brazilian star: "I told Vini to listen, not to lower his intensity at all because he is the best in the world and one day he will win the Ballon d'Or."
During his visit, Benzema met with Carlo Ancelotti, whom he described as a "great coach" and "a friend." He was unable to meet Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in person but confirmed they communicated via WhatsApp: "I spoke to him by WhatsApp and told him we had to meet. I will see him before the final."
The French forward, who led Real Madrid to Champions League glory before his move to Saudi Arabia, did not rule out a future return to the club: "Back to Madrid? Yes, of course, why not. At the moment I'm in Jeddah and I'm very well. The time will come to see how life is, and I'm sure I'll be close to Madrid."
Addressing recent speculation about retirement, Benzema dismissed such claims: "That's nonsense. I have no limit to tell me that in two, three or four years I'm going to quit football. I feel good, thank God. My body is fine. I'm preparing well, and we'll see how I feel every year."
Benzema also praised Real Madrid’s winning mentality: "Real Madrid is always Real Madrid, that is to say, a team to win everything, to triumph. They are always here because they win titles, and now they have the chance to win another one. I've spent half my life there and I feel at home."