Karim Benzema names Cristiano Ronaldo after signing for Al-Ittihad, sets Internet on fire

Karim Benzema stirred a frenzy in the footballing world, as Al-Ittihad announced the signing of the 2022 Balon d’Or winner. Following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, 35-year-old Benzema bid goodbye to European football and opted for a move to the Saudi Arabian club. After getting announced as an Al-Ittihad player Karim Benzema revealed his feelings, while also mentioning how Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr inspired him to join the Saudi club.

As per GOAL, speaking at the unveiling ceremony Karim Benzema said, “It's a good league and there are many good players. Cristiano Ronaldo is already here, he is a friend who shows that Saudi Arabia is starting to get ahead and I am here to win as I did in Europe and I look forward to seeing the fans in Jeddah.” This comes at a time when seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has also been linked with a move to a Saudi Arabian club.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema played together for Real Madrid

It is worth noting that Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009 and went on to play 342 matches together. During that period they also won the Champions League trophy four times. They will now play against each other in the Saudi Pro League, which has gained millions of audience ever since Ronaldo decided to join Riyadh-based Al Nassr in January this year.

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr following his dramatic exit from Manchester United and is reportedly earning USD 214 million per year. Benzema has now also reportedly received a significant pay raise with his move to Al-Ittihad. 

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Benzema's Cristiano Ronaldo reference goes viral

Few reports claim Ronaldo will continue to be the highest-paid athlete in football, while it is also being said that Benzema and Ronaldo are now the joint-highest paid footballers in history. As the Saudi Arabian club announced Benzema’s signing on Tuesday, football fans were quick to credit Ronaldo for the move. At the same time, Benzema’s comment about Ronaldo at the unveiling ceremony further stirred a frenzy among fans on Twitter.