Former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has left the door open for a potential return to the Spanish club, while staying non-committal about his future at Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
In a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on 𝕏, Karim Benzema said, “If Florentino is still there, it could happen. I could never say no to Pérez. I’m a Madridista. I feel it in my soul. Madrid is still my city. We’ll see what happens.”
The 37-year-old, who scored more than 300 goals for Real Madrid and helped the team secure multiple Champions League and La Liga titles, admitted he is still considering his options as his contract with Al Ittihad runs until June 2026.
“I don’t know if I’ll leave Al Ittihad or stay. It depends on many factors… let’s see what happens,” he said.
Benzema also defended Vinícius Júnior amid ongoing criticism, highlighting the Brazilian’s contributions and urging fans and pundits to be fair.
“Don’t forget what Vini Jr did for Real Madrid, it’d be not fair at all. He’s a very good kid, with a big heart, who wants to learn, he’s phenomenal. People put a lot of pressure on him. He can do more, but you can’t say he’s bad now,” he told Diario AS.
Reflecting on Real Madrid’s current squad, Benzema noted the team’s leadership gap after a generational shift at the Bernabéu.
“True, it seemed like it would last forever. So many great players. Football is different now, it’s something else entirely. You can’t compare,” he said.
“The current Real Madrid might have more going for them, but they lack a true leader, although sometimes in today’s game, a leader isn’t necessary. They’re young, many of them play for their national teams and are the leaders there, they have Champions League experience… They need to find what a leader brings to the table.”
Benzema also offered his perspective on Kylian Mbappé, emphasizing the importance of stepping up in crucial matches.
“He needs to focus more on these moments when Real Madrid needs him because he has everything needed to do it. There will be games where Mbappé won’t touch the ball,” the former France international said.
“What we expect from Kylian is that when he gets the chance, he’ll put it away. That’s how Real Madrid is. Real Madrid needs him a lot, and there are games where he has to score, like against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool… These are teams that sit back, and he has to step up, work those situations.”
Benzema also stressed the need for clear communication among the team’s attacking players. He said, “I think Vinicius, Mbappé, Rodrygo, [Jude] Bellingham… they have to communicate. One is there to score goals, another to provide assists. We’re not going to tell Bellingham to score goals because that’s Mbappé’s job, nor tell him to be the number 10 because that’s Bellingham’s role. They have to communicate.”
