Al-Hilal the reason: will Benzema retire from football for good?

A resounding surprise!

A bombshell dropped in the press on Sunday evening. Karim Benzema, the French striker at Saudi side Al-Hilal, is reportedly weighing up retirement from football for good, with the news arriving as he is linked with a departure from "the Leader".

Current reports suggest Al-Hilal will agree a financial settlement with Benzema once they complete the signing of England striker Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa.

Saudi newspaper "Al-Youm" claim Al-Hilal could prove the final chapter of Benzema's career, should the club decide to part ways with the French goalscorer.

The paper explained that Benzema is seriously considering retirement after his Al-Hilal spell, with no appetite for a fresh challenge elsewhere.

Benzema wrote plenty of history at Real Madrid, racking up a host of titles across 14 years, before joining Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023 and moving on to Al-Hilal in January 2026.