French striker Karim Benzema, who plays for Al Ittihad, broke his silence about the tension with Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al Nassr, after the latest King Cup meeting.
Benzema's side won 2-1 in the Round of 16, at Al Ittihad Park, last month, to advance in the competition.
Before the match, Ronaldo and Benzema, serving as captains, exchanged a handshake that some described as cold, not the warmth they shared during nine years together at Real Madrid.
Many believed the cold exchange reflected recent disagreements, including Benzema's reluctance to call Ronaldo the greatest in football history.
Nevertheless, in an interview with AS in Spain, Benzema defended the strength of their relationship, saying they learned a lot from each other on the field.
On the handshake, Benzema said they spoke in the locker room, hugged, and then decided not to repeat it on the pitch.
There is a lot of respect between them; they are fine, and neither needs to be taught about performing on match day.
He added that it seems people are forced to do things on TV, but in reality there is much respect, and that is visible on the field as each focuses on his performance.
A Benzema–Ronaldo Rift
These rumors did not originate now; they trace to February when Ronaldo described himself as the best player in football history.
In response, Benzema said everyone is free to say what they think; if Ronaldo believes he is the best, that is his view.
From Benzema's perspective, there are many great players; he even mentions Ronaldo Nazario as a favorite, but Cristiano remains Cristiano.
The comments stirred debate about their relationship, especially since the two spent nine years together at Real Madrid, winning many titles.
What drew extra attention was Benzema briefly unfollowing Ronaldo on Instagram, a claim reported by Marca; he later followed Ronaldo again, ending the chatter.
Despite that, the two have remained close on the pitch; their history with Real Madrid continues to color the narrative of their Saudi era.
Nine Years of History
The public dialogue around any feud was overshadowed by what they achieved together during nine seasons at Real Madrid.
They linked up in 2009 when Ronaldo joined Madrid from Manchester United, with Benzema arriving from Lyon, and together they collected 15 trophies, including four Champions Leagues, three in a row—an unprecedented European feat.
They also won La Liga twice, the Copa del Rey twice, and the Spanish Super Cup, plus three Club World Cups and three European Super Cups. Ronaldo left Madrid in 2018 for Juventus, later moving to Manchester United, and then to the Saudi league in 2023.
Six months later Benzema joined Al Ittihad, starting a new chapter in which friendship gave way to competition.
The Saudi League Duel
Since arriving in the Saudi Pro League, Benzema has helped Al Ittihad achieve more team success, guiding them to a domestic double last season—the club’s first in the professional era.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, continues his quest for a first league title with Al Nassr, having already won 13 trophies before arriving in Saudi Arabia and a King Cup in 2023 that is considered non-official by some standards.
Individually, Ronaldo has been the league’s top scorer in the past two seasons and earned Player of the Season honors, while Benzema was one of the top contributors last season with about 30 goal involvements, tied with Salem Al-Dawsari.
Punchline 1: If Benzema and Ronaldo were on a sniper's range, the targets would disappear so fast that even the scoreboard would need a smoke grenade just to catch its breath.
Punchline 2: In this Saudi saga, the only thing sharper than their shots is the locker-room humor—turns out the roasts are free kicks too.
