Karim Benzema wants to leave a “lasting legacy” and deliver trophies at new club Al Ittihad, with the striker saying his Muslim faith was a significant factor in his decision to move to Saudi Arabia.
The Frenchman, the current Ballon d’Or holder, was confirmed on Tuesday as the Saudi Pro League champions’ latest addition. Benzema, 35, had spent 14 years at Real Madrid and departed on Sunday as their second-highest goalscorer of all-time. He signed an initial three-year contract with Ittihad.
In an interview with the club released on Thursday, Benzema said: “I hope for my new club, what I’ll be able to bring is my football and most importantly to be able to win titles. It’s a new chapter for me and I would like to further advance the club.
“It’s a club with a lot of passion. I would like the fans to find themselves in me. I would like to leave a lasting legacy, because I love football. I always have this competitiveness to push my limits and go even higher. That’s why I’m going to be well prepared to give them and show them my talent.”
Ittihad, managed by former Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, last month lifted a first top-flight title in 14 years – and ninth overall. They sealed the crown with one round to spare, five points ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.
“It’s one of the top clubs in Saudi Arabia,” Benzema said of his new employers. “It’s a club that sees a lot of passion from its fan and has many trophies.
“The stadium is exceptional, and as I said and will repeat; there’s so much passion – a good team always needs fans. The fans are very important, and with that passion, it gives us the motivation to be best on the field.”
Benzema, a practising Muslim, has been a regular visitor to both the kingdom and the the region, having made a number of trips in the recent past to the UAE also.
Asked why he chose Saudi – Madrid had offered Benzema another year at the Bernabeu – he said: “Well, because I am Muslim and it’s a Muslim country. I’ve always wanted to live there. I’ve already been to Saudi Arabia, and I feel good about it.
“Most importantly, it’s a Muslim country, it’s beloved and it’s beautiful. When I had a conversation with my family I was signing with Saudi Arabia, they were all very happy and here I am. To me it’s where I want to be.”
Benzema, who scored 354 goals in 648 appearances for Madrid, arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday and will be presented to Ittihad fans at a sold-out King Abdullah Sports City on Thursday night.
“I feel people already like me,” he said. “And [living in Saudi] will allow me to have a new life. I would like to learn Arabic and speak fluently, it’s important for me.
“I’ve already been to Saudi Arabia, Mecca is very close. and as a believer it’s important for me - this is where I will feel at my best and in my element.”
Benzema said “there are many good players” in the Pro League and that he was impressed by the Saudi Arabia national team’s performance at last year’s World Cup.
He knows Ronaldo well after the pair spent nine, trophy-laden years together at Madrid. The Portuguese star, 38, signed for Nassr in late December in what is believed to be one of the most lucrative player deals in football history.
“It’s important also that Cristiano Ronaldo is in Saudi Arabia, because he’s a very big player,” Benzema said. “He brings a lot to the game in this country and that will further elevate their playing level.
“So it’s important to show that Saudi football can have a global impact, because it’s not about playing in Saudi Arabia or not performing. No, on the contrary, I have to push and show all that I was able to do in Europe and bring it back with me to Saudi Arabia.”
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
More on Quran memorisation:
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
