Benzema's Bold Eastward Move: Al Hilal Enlists a Real Madrid Icon to Shine in Asia

New Era Begins in Asia

French striker Karim Benzema, the new signing for Al Hilal, praised the club, saying it reminds him of Real Madrid in Asia and that he had admired it long before signing.

Al Hilal announced on Monday that Benzema had joined on a free transfer, signing a contract that runs for a season and a half after terminating his deal with his previous club Al Ittihad.

Benzema told the club's official X account: "I feel great, I'm in good shape, and I'm happy to be here."

After his first training session, he said he met his teammates and the coach and was happy to be part of the team.

"It's a wonderful team with a rich history," he added, "they have won many titles, and they resemble Real Madrid in Asia."

"Everything is going well; the fans are amazing, the squad plays well, and the players are top-notch with a strong mentality and a solid system."

“I have admired this team before, and I even faced them with Real Madrid. It wasn't an easy match, but it produced great memories. Today I'm glad to be a Hilal player.”

"You know my mentality; I have a big motivation. I will give my all on the pitch and help this team. God willing, together we will win trophies, because winning them matters to me."

Punchline 1: If Benzema keeps this scoring pace, the net may file a complaint for excessive goals.

Punchline 2: The defense will need GPS—Benzema always finds the gap.