Veteran French striker Karim Benzema, 39, has pledged to win more trophies at his new club Al-Hilal, calling the Saudi Pro League side "Asia's Real Madrid."
In an interview published on Al-Hilal's official website on Sunday, Benzema shared his thoughts on the transfer and sent a message to fans.
Benzema left Saudi league rivals Al-Ittihad on January 3 to join Al-Hilal. "I feel really good to be here. I had my first training session with the team and the coach," he said. "I'm happy and excited to be part of this team."
Speaking about Al-Hilal, Benzema said, "It's a wonderful team with a great history. They've won numerous trophies. It's like the Real Madrid of Asia." Real Madrid is the Spanish powerhouse where Benzema spent 14 seasons at the peak of his career.
"Everything is great. The fans are passionate, the performance level is high, there are great players, strong mentality, and a systematic structure," Benzema said. "I've liked Al-Hilal for a long time. I played against them when I was at Real Madrid, and it wasn't easy. I have good memories of that."
When asked to send a message to fans, Benzema said, "I have big ambitions. I will train hard, give everything on the pitch, and help the team. I hope to bring trophies. Winning trophies is the most important thing to me. We have a great team and wonderful fans, so together we can do it."
Benzema, who scored 37 goals in 97 appearances for the French national team, is a star player who excelled at Olympique Lyon and Real Madrid and won the 2022 Ballon d'Or, awarded to the world's best player.
At Real Madrid, he won four La Liga titles, five FIFA Club World Cups, and five UEFA Champions League titles. He also won four Ligue 1 championships during his time at Lyon.
Benzema left Real Madrid in June 2023 and joined Al-Ittihad, marking his entry into the Saudi league. His contract with Al-Ittihad was set to expire in June this year, but he declined to extend and joined Al-Hilal as a free agent.
The Saudi Pro League is managed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the country's sovereign wealth fund, which holds controlling stakes in major clubs and directly handles player contracts. Al-Ittihad reportedly offered Benzema a contract extension at nearly zero salary, prompting his dissatisfaction and search for a new home. While European clubs also made offers, his decision to stay in Saudi Arabia is largely attributed to his image rights contract, which runs until 2030.
Benzema's move to Al-Hilal has angered Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese striker at title rival Al-Nassr. Ronaldo has reportedly refused to play league matches in protest, accusing PIF of discriminatory investment by focusing on strengthening Al-Hilal.
Al-Nassr currently sits second in the league with 46 points, trailing leaders Al-Hilal by 11 points. Ronaldo, who has played for Al-Nassr since January 2023, has yet to win a trophy in Saudi Arabia. In contrast, Benzema played a pivotal role in Al-Ittihad's league and King's Cup victories last season.