Al Hilal end Karim Benzema contract by mutual consent

Al Hilal have ended Karim Benzema’s contract by mutual consent, with Prince Alwaleed bin Talal covering the financial settlement required to release the French forward.

The Saudi club announced the agreement on Monday, bringing Benzema’s brief spell with Al Hilal to a close after only 16 appearances. He scored 10 goals, provided five assists and helped the club win the King’s Cup.

Al Hilal said its board, led by Prince Nawaf bin Saad, “values Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s covering of the contractual settlement with Frenchman Karim Benzema, through which the club ended its contractual relationship with the player by mutual consent”.

The club added: “The board extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness for his support of Al Hilal and his historic initiatives, which reflect his continuous commitment to supporting the club and strengthening its journey, contributing to the achievement of its objectives and the continuation of its competitive presence at all levels.”

The decision followed intensive negotiations between Benzema and Al Hilal in recent days, according to Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, which reported the development on Sunday.

Benzema is now expected to retire from professional football permanently after rejecting a move to Al Shabab, the report added.

Reports say only Benzema’s contract with Al Hilal will end at this stage. His agreement with the Saudi Pro League is initially expected to remain in place until 2030, despite the player’s apparent intention to retire.

The 38-year-old joined Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023 after his contract with Real Madrid expired. During his time with the club, known as the Tigers, he helped them win the Saudi Pro League and the King’s Cup.

Benzema scored 54 goals and supplied 17 assists in 83 appearances for Al-Ittihad before moving on to Al Hilal.

His career in Saudi Arabia followed a distinguished 14-year spell at Real Madrid. Benzema joined the Spanish club from French side Lyon in 2009 for a reported fee of 35m euros at the time.

He made 648 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 354 goals and creating 158 more. During his time at the Bernabeu, he won 25 trophies, making him the most decorated player in the club’s history in terms of titles won.

Benzema was also a key figure for France, winning 97 caps and scoring 37 international goals between 2007 and 2022.

He won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 after a standout campaign with Real Madrid, although the source article does not link that award directly to his departure from Al Hilal. His latest move ends a short-lived chapter with the Saudi club and leaves retirement as the expected next step in the career of one of the most prolific forwards of his generation.