The love of the Saudi club’s fans for the lethal striker quickly turned to hatred after Karim Benzema was officially appointed as a reinforcement for Rúben Neves’ Al Hilal. Not even the more than 50 goals he scored for the Jeddah team mitigate the effects of the transfer, which is seen as a betrayal.
Karim Benzema changed Al Ittihad on the last day of the winter market by rival Al Hilala transfer that did not please the fans of the emblem of Jeddah.
On social media, countless Al fans Ittihadtraining guided by Sérgio Conceição, make a point of demonstrating, in the overwhelming majority only In words, his displeasure regarding leaving the Ballon d’Or in 2022.
There were, however, those who went from words to actions. A supporter of the Saudi club shared a video on X where he appears to take off his shirt yellow and black of Benzema from the frame where it was displayed to be able to burn it.
The video ends with the t-shirt being consumed by flames.
“To the dustbin of history. This shirt doesn’t deserve a coward like you”, wrote the author of the publication in the description of the images.
Benzema signed for Al Ittihad in 2023
But before hatred, love prevailed in the relationship between the fans and the goalscorer.
The veteran attacker arrived in Saudi Arabia in 2023, seduced by the millions he was promisedbut, recently, he was unhappy with the renewal proposal presented to him.
Could this have been the reason that led to the 38-year-old player moving from Jeddah to Riyadh, where he will have Rúben Neves as a teammate.
Over two and a half seasons, The striker who once shone at Real Madrid participated in 83 matches, in which he “winning” 54 times.
To his more than fifty goals he added a championship and a Saudi cup, trophies won last season.
