Al Hilal welcome Benzema – with Ronaldo’s Al Nassr boss ‘to leave at end of season’
Karim Benzema has joined Cristiano Ronaldo's title rivals on a free transfer
Al-Hilal have said there is “so much done” and “more to come” after Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema marked his arrival at the Saudi Pro League giants with a video message to fans.
Benzema – the recipient of the most prestigious individual prize in football in 2022 – signed for the top-flight leaders on Monday, coinciding with Cristiano Ronaldo missing an Al-Nassr game amid reports suggesting the Portugal captain is disgruntled by his club’s lack of transfer activity.
Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus, who led them to a 10-match unbeaten start in the Saudi Pro League, will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of his first season in charge because of “current circumstances that make it difficult to meet his technical demands”, according to Al-Riyadh.
The outlet said that negotiations remain stalled on two transfers the Portuguese requested at the start of January.
Al-Nassr are said to be facing a “lack of funds” and “leaning towards closing the book on signings” before the Saudi transfer window shuts on Monday, having bought 21-year-old midfielder Haider Abdulkareem from Iraqi side Al-Zawraa.
MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo: The face of Saudi football, the disrespect and what happens now
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Karim Benzema: Al Hilal complete transfer
Benzema turned down a new deal at Al-Ittihad, with whom the 38-year-old won last season’s Saudi Pro League and King’s Cup, in favour of joining Al-Hilal, who are a point above Al-Nassr at the summit after 19 matches of the 34-game season.
“Big name,” Al-Hilal said in a social media post, sharing photos of Benzema posing in a club scarf. “Big ambitions.”
In a video message, Benzema said: “Hi, fans. How are you? I’m happy to be here. I’ve just landed from Jeddah. I’ll see you soon.”
Big name.. Big ambitions 💙
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) February 3, 2026
Welcome, 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 💫🤩 pic.twitter.com/SooNiFUz57
Benzema vs Ronaldo
Benzema has eight goals in 14 league appearances this season – one behind Al-Hilal top scorer Marcos Leonardo – and 16 goals in 21 games overall.
Ronaldo has 17 goals in 18 league matches and 18 goals in 22 games in all competitions. Ivan Toney’s 18 goals for Al-Ahli make the former England striker the leading marksman in the Saudi Pro League 2025/26.
Benzema is yet to register an assist this season but provided nine in 2024/25, all in the league. One of Ronaldo’s three assists in 2025/26 has been in the league, with three of his four assists last season coming in the division.
Cristiano Ronaldo contract
Ronaldo is yet to win the Saudi title despite top-scoring in the top flight in each of his two full seasons with Al-Nassr, who have potentially colosssal financial might through the country’s Public Investment Fund.
Shortly after Al-Nassr finished third last season – 13 points behind Al-Ittihad – Ronaldo appeared to strongly hint on social media that he had played his final game for the club.
He agreed a new contract exactly a month later, having scored in Portugal’s triumphant Nations League semi-final against Germany and final against Spain.
The five-time Champions League winner scored 35 goals in 41 matches across all competitions for Al-Nassr in 2024/25.
Cristiano Ronaldo salary, wages
On financial website Forbes’ all-time list of the highest earning athletes in a year, only boxer Floyd Mayweather eclipses Ronaldo, having pocketed an estimated $300 million (£226m) in 2015 and $285m (£214.5m) in 2018.
Ronaldo was said to have surpassed $1 billion (£771m) in career earnings two years before becoming the most high-profile footballer to move to Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo’s first Al-Nassr deal was widely reported to be worth £14.75m a month or £3.4m per week. His annual salary was said to be £177m per year, made up of £62m for his football salary, supplemented by commercial bonuses.
Ronaldo has a variety of lucrative sponsorship deals, with his recent endorsements including Whoop, video game UFL and cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
Karim Benzema Real Madrid stats
Benzema’s 354 goals across 14 years for Real Madrid make him the Spanish giants’ second-highest all-time scorer behind former team-mate Ronaldo, who hit 451.
The 2022 World Cup runner-up with France has said in interviews that he sees himself as an ambassador for football in Saudi Arabia who can help entice more elite European footballers to the league.
After leaving Madrid a year before the end of his contract, Benzema joined Al-Ittihad on a three-year contract in 2023.
Karim Benzema in Saudi Arabia
Benzema’s first season in Saudi Arabia produced a return of 13 goals and eight assists in 29 matches that was low by his prolific standards as Al-Ittihad endured a turbulent 2023/24, finishing without a trophy and sacking current Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo in November.
Former Barcelona sporting director Ramon Planes joined the nine-time champions in the same role he held at the Spanish giants in January 2024, and ex-Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc led them to glory in 2024/25, having taken over in July.
Benzema scored 25 times in 33 appearances in all competitions last season, including 21 in the league. Ronaldo’s 25 goals earned him the Saudi Pro League golden boot.
Karim Benzema salary, wages, contract
Benzema’s Al-Ittihad deal entitled the club to pay him a salary of up to $100 million (around £83m), according to The Athletic.
He was reported to have been considering retirement last season and has said in interviews that he sees himself as an ambassador for football in Saudi Arabia who can help entice more elite European footballers to the league.
Benzema turned down offers to return to Europe because his image rights deal commits him to Saudi Arabia until 2030, according to ESPN.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Al Nassr fixtures
Al-Nassr are next in action at home to Al-Ittihad on Friday (17:30 GMT). Two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane scored the only goal of the game – set up by Portugal forward Joao Felix – in their 1-0 win at Al-Riyadh on Monday.
Al-Hilal remain unbeaten in the league but were held to a third straight draw with a goalless stalemate at Al-Ahli on the same day.
Simone Inzaghi’s side host Al-Hazem on Thurday (17:30 GMT). Matches are shown live on the Saudi Pro League’s YouTube channel.