Key figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, and Karim Benzema are now at the latter stages of their careers. At 38, Benzema is younger than both Ronaldo (41) and Modric (40) but may retire before them due to ongoing concerns regarding his health and performance since his departure from Real Madrid to Saudi Arabia two years ago.

After leaving Al-Ittihad for Al Hilal in February, Benzema has encountered significant injury challenges, limiting him to only 13 appearances in the Saudi Pro League, where he has scored 10 goals. The recent addition of Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa has diminished Benzema’s standing in Riyadh, leading to his decision to terminate his contract immediately, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

Moving forward, Benzema faces critical choices regarding his future. He may either join a third club within Saudi Arabia to prolong his playing career or he might announce his retirement outright, with no intention of returning to European football. Currently monitoring Real Madrid’s developments from a distance, Benzema has the luxury to deliberate over his next steps at his convenience, and given his stature as the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, he is expected to have numerous offers from clubs in the Middle East should he decide to continue his career. However, if he opts to extend his playing time for another season, securing a new team will likely be a priority going forward.