French veteran forward Karim Benzema has joined Al-Hilal on a one-and-a-half year deal following the termination of his contract with Al-Ittihad, Afrosport reports.
The 38-year-old of Algerian heritage reportedly rejected a contract extension with Al-Ittihad and was left out of their last two games in the Saudi Pro League.
He joined the club as a free agent in 2023 after 14 successful years at Real Madrid, and won the Saudi Pro League and Kings Cup double during the 2024-25 season. He scored a total of 54 goals and provided 17 assists in 83 competitive games for the Jeddah-based giants.
Karim Benzema is officially Hilali ✍️💙 pic.twitter.com/7YX5STm2z9
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) February 2, 2026
Benzema in a tribute to Al-Ittihad said: “Al-Ittihad, this chapter comes to an end, but the respect and gratitude will always remain.
“Thank you to the club, the staff, my teammates, and especially the fans for the welcome, the love, and the energy you gave me every day.
“This journey gave me a lot, both personally and professionally. I leave with my head held high, proud to have worn these colors and of everything we shared.
“I wish you all the best for what’s next.”
Al Ittihad,
This chapter comes to an end, but the respect and gratitude will always remain.Thank you to the club, the staff, my teammates, and especially the fans for the welcome, the love, and the energy you gave me every day.
This journey gave me a lot, both personally and… pic.twitter.com/aPml8pZJ3x
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) February 2, 2026
Al-Hilal are top of the Saudi Pro League standings, one point ahead of Al-Nassr, who have influential Portuguese forward and former teammates with Benzema at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo.
