Karim Benzema Scores Sensational Goal on His Debut for Saudi Club Al Ittihad

• Ex-Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema netted on his debut game for Al-Ittihad
• The goal propelled the Saudi Arabian champions to victory over ES Tunis in the Arab Club Champions Cup
• Karim Benzema joined Al-Ittihad this summer on a three-year contract worth £258m

Benzema had a memorable debut for Al-Ittihad, securing a victory over ES Tunis in the Arab Club Champions Cup with his goal.

The 35-year-old striker, who recently ended his time at Real Madrid, joined the Saudi Pro League champions on a three-year contract last month.

Following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Frenchman became another prominent player to make the move to the Middle Eastern country.

Numerous other European stars have also followed suit, further bolstering the league's reputation and attracting attention from football fans worldwide.

Al-Ittihad fans eagerly witnessed Benzema's first appearance as he started alongside Jota, the recent addition from Celtic, in the starting lineup.

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During the match, with the scores level at 1-1, Benzema showcased his brilliance by cutting in from the left and delivering a magnificent curling shot from the edge of the box, finding the top corner with pinpoint accuracy.

After Ousemma Bouguerra's powerful volley in the 26th minute gave Tunis the lead, Al-Ittihad found an equalizer just six minutes later.

Abderrazak Hamdallah headed in a close-range goal from a cross delivered by Benzema, who later scored the decisive winning goal for the Saudi club.

N'Golo Kante made his debut for the club, entering the field as a substitute after his transfer from Chelsea on a free deal.

Al-Ittihad's previous triumph in the Arab Club Champions Cup came in the 2004-05 season, and they are eager to secure another victory this year.

Their upcoming challenge will be against CS Sfaxien, a Tunisian side, on Sunday, as they look forward to their second match in the competition.

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Benzema explains Saudi move

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Benzema has disclosed why he chose to move to Saudi Arabia after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the 2022-23 season.

The Frenchman's future in the Middle East looks exceedingly lucrative, as reports suggest he is poised to earn a staggering sum of around €200 million (£172m/$213m) per season. Nevertheless, he was swift to emphasize that his choice to exchange Spain for the oil-rich nation was driven not solely by financial motives.

"Well, because I'm Muslim, and this is a Muslim country, and I have always wanted to live here," he told the club's media.