Karim Benzema latest news: free agent at 38 after leaving Al-Hilal
Karim Benzema has been a free agent since leaving Al-Hilal on 31 August 2026. Our profile covers the latest news, reported options, his Real Madrid legacy and honours.
Karim Benzema is a free agent at 38. The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner has been without a club since 31 August 2026, when Al-Hilal announced that his contract had been ended early by mutual agreement. Six weeks later, no new club has been officially confirmed, and one of the most decorated strikers of his generation is weighing his next step. This Karim Benzema profile gathers the latest news, what he achieved in Saudi Arabia, and the career that made him a legend at Real Madrid.
Karim Benzema latest news: free agent after leaving Al-Hilal
According to Al Jazeera, Al-Hilal confirmed Benzema's departure on 31 August, thanking the French forward for his professionalism and the leadership he showed during his time in Riyadh. The Saudi outlet Kooora reported that Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal covered the cost of the settlement that brought the contract to an early end.
Since then, Benzema's future has been the subject of steady speculation. According to the Spanish daily AS, as relayed by Al Jazeera, he was not thinking about retirement when he left Al-Hilal and had several offers on the table, including one from Major League Soccer. Other options mentioned in reports included a return to his former club Al-Ittihad or a move to Al-Shabab.
Media reports have also linked him with European clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen and Real Betis. None of these links had been confirmed by the clubs or the player in the sources we checked, and they should be treated as reports only.
The Lyon homecoming that nearly happened
The most emotional storyline came from France. According to L'Équipe, as reported by Get French Football News on 5 September, Benzema came close to returning to his boyhood club Lyon during the summer and was reportedly willing to play without a salary. The move stalled because he was still under contract with Al-Hilal at the time, and his role as an ambassador for the Saudi league until 2030 was also described as an obstacle.
Benzema's Saudi Arabia years: Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal
Benzema moved to Saudi Arabia in summer 2023, joining Al-Ittihad straight after leaving Real Madrid. His signing was one of the defining moments in the rise of the Saudi Pro League, and he went on to win the league title with Al-Ittihad in 2024-25.
In early 2026 he crossed to their rivals Al-Hilal. ESPN and beIN Sports reported that Al-Hilal announced the transfer on 2 February 2026 after a delay, while Al Jazeera dates his arrival to January. His spell in blue was short but productive: according to Al Jazeera, he played 16 matches in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing 5 assists before the two parties agreed to part ways at the end of August.
Al-Hilal spell in numbers
- Arrival: early 2026, from Al-Ittihad
- Matches: 16 in all competitions
- Goals: 10
- Assists: 5
- Departure: 31 August 2026, by mutual agreement
Playing style: the complete centre-forward
Benzema built his reputation as far more than a penalty-box finisher. At his peak he was the model of the modern complete striker: a forward who drops between the lines to link play, combines in tight spaces with midfielders and wingers, and still arrives in the box to finish with either foot. His intelligence in movement, first touch and calm in front of goal made him the reference point of Real Madrid's attack for over a decade.
Those qualities rely more on timing and vision than raw pace, which is why clubs continue to see value in him at 38. His record at Al-Hilal, almost a goal contribution per match, suggests the finishing instinct remains intact.
Career path: from Lyon academy to Real Madrid legend
Born in Lyon in December 1987, Benzema came through Olympique Lyonnais' academy and won four Ligue 1 titles with his hometown club before joining Real Madrid in 2009. He stayed in Spain for 14 seasons, and Al Jazeera's figures credit him with 354 goals in 648 appearances and 25 trophies at the Bernabéu. The 2021-22 campaign, when he led Madrid's attack to the La Liga title, was the high point that earned him the 2022 Ballon d'Or.
| Period | Club | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Until 2009 | Lyon | Academy graduate, four Ligue 1 titles |
| 2009 to 2023 | Real Madrid | 354 goals in 648 games, 25 trophies |
| 2023 to early 2026 | Al-Ittihad | Saudi Pro League champion 2024-25 |
| Early 2026 to August 2026 | Al-Hilal | 16 games, 10 goals, 5 assists |
| Since 31 August 2026 | Free agent | Weighing his options |
Honours and records
Few strikers of his era can match Benzema's collection of team and individual honours:
- Ballon d'Or 2022
- Five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid
- Several La Liga titles with Real Madrid, including 2021-22
- Four Ligue 1 titles with Lyon
- Saudi Pro League title with Al-Ittihad in 2024-25
- UEFA Nations League winner with France in 2021
International career with France
Benzema's France career ended with a major trophy. He was part of the side that won the UEFA Nations League in 2021, and he retired from international football after the 2022 World Cup. His international chapter is therefore closed, and any decision now concerns club football only.
What's next for Karim Benzema?
The key question is simple: where will Benzema play next, if he continues? The reported options span the United States, a return within the Saudi Pro League and a possible European comeback, but as of mid-October 2026 no club had officially announced an agreement. As a free agent he can sign at any time, which gives him flexibility that contracted players do not have.
For fans, the romantic hope remains a final chapter at Lyon, yet the obstacles reported in the summer have not been publicly resolved. Yalla Shoot will update this profile as soon as there is official news. Until then, follow the latest scores on our live scores page and keep checking back for every Karim Benzema update.