Karim Benzema expecting to retire at Real Madrid

Karim Benzema has confirmed he expects to finish his career at Real Madrid, rather than join anyone else before he decides to retire.

Benzema, who has been with Real since 2009 when he joined from Lyon as a 21-year-old, won the Ballon d’Or this week to become the first Frenchman to do so since Zinedine Zidane in 1998.

The 34-year-old has struggled with injuries and fitness so far in 2022/23, but last season saw him record the best goal tally of his career when he scored 44 times in all competitions – his first ever 40+ season and only his third time ever getting over 30.

Benzema has become part of the furniture at the Bernabeu over the years, now the club’s longest serving player and winner of five Champions League titles. He has no plans to change that.

“I will retire in Real Madrid. There’s no other option for me,” he told Onda Cero.

Benzema has not given a time frame as to how long he wants to continue playing for. He will turn 35 in December and has a contract with Real until the end of the season.

But given that he is in the best form of his life and the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have continued to be world class into their mid-thirties and beyond, Benzema could yet have another few years left in him.

Marca reported in September that Benzema is close to signing a Real contract until 2024.

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