N’Golo Kante and Karim Benzema have secured their first Saudi Pro League titles with Al Ittihad, after the Jeddah-based side clinched the championship with a 3-1 victory over Al Raed on matchday 32.
The win at King Abdullah Sports City on Thursday ensured Al Ittihad mathematically sealed the top spot with two rounds to spare.
Both Kante, who hails from Mali through his parents, and Benzema, whose roots trace back to Algeria, have played pivotal roles in the club’s resurgence this season.
While Kante has provided stability in midfield, Benzema has led the attack, scoring 21 goals and providing nine assists in 28 league appearances.
The Frenchman, signed from Real Madrid in June 2023, is the second-highest scorer in the league this season, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 23 goals.
Despite going behind early in the ninth minute to an Oumar Gonzalez strike, Al Ittihad responded with three unanswered goals.
Abdulrahman Al Aboud set up Steven Bergwijn for the equaliser in the 21st minute before Portugal’s Danilo Pereira made it 2-1 just before the break, thanks to a cross from Spaniard Unai Hernandez.
Al Aboud then added a third goal right on the stroke of halftime to put the result beyond doubt.
This triumph marks a remarkable turnaround for Al Ittihad, who finished fifth last season, a massive 42 points behind champions Al Hilal.
Under manager Laurent Blanc, the team has shown consistency, seizing the league lead on matchday 19 and never looking back, securing their title with a nine-point gap over second-placed Al Hilal, who still have a game in hand.
