MAKKAH: Karim Benzema, a soccer player from France who joined the Saudi team Al-Ittihad this summer, shared a video of his spiritual journey to Makkah’s Grand Mosque.
He performed Umrah, a pilgrimage that can be done at any time of the year, and expressed his gratitude and awe. “Mashallah, best of the best, Alhamdulelah,” he wrote to his 20.5 million fans on social media.
Benzema is a former star of Real Madrid and a winner of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. He signed a three-year deal with Al-Ittihad, reportedly earning $215 million per year. He has already made an impact on the field, scoring three goals and assisting one in four games with the Jeddah Tigers.
Benzema is not only a prolific scorer, but also a decorated player who has won numerous trophies and awards in his career. He started his professional journey with Lyon, where he won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles and one Coupe de France. He also became the league’s top scorer and player of the year in 2008. He then moved to Real Madrid in 2009, where he became one of the club’s legends and formed a formidable partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
He helped Real Madrid win four La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles, and five UEFA Champions League titles. He also won individual honors such as the Ballon d’Or, the UEFA Best Player in Europe, and the Pichichi Trophy. He is Real Madrid’s second-highest all-time goalscorer and top assist provider. In 2023, he signed for Al-Ittihad, a Saudi club that offered him a lucrative contract.
He has also represented France at four major tournaments, winning the UEFA Nations League in 2021 and finishing as runner-up at the FIFA World Cup in 2022. He is France’s sixth-highest all-time top goalscorer. Benzema is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of all time and a creative forward with exceptional skills, vision, and versatility.
