Al-Hilal said there was “so much to do” and “more to come” after Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema marked his arrival at the Saudi Pro League giants with a video message to fans.
Benzema – the recipient of football’s most prestigious individual award in 2022 – signed for the top-flight leaders on Monday, coinciding with Cristiano Ronaldo missing an Al-Nassr match amid reports suggesting the Portuguese captain is unhappy with his club’s lack of transfer activity.
Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus, who led them to a 10-match unbeaten start in the Saudi Pro League, will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of his first season in charge due to “current circumstances which make it difficult to meet his technical demands”, according to Al-Riyadh.
The media indicated that negotiations remained at a standstill on two transfers requested by the Portuguese in early January.
Al-Nassr is reportedly facing a “lack of funds” and “tends to close the signing file” before the Saudi transfer window closes on Monday, after purchasing 21-year-old midfielder Haider Abdulkareem from Iraqi club Al-Zawraa.
MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo: The face of Saudi football, the lack of respect and what’s happening now
Karim Benzema: Al Hilal finalizes his transfer
Benzema turned down a new deal with Al-Ittihad, with whom the 38-year-old won the Saudi Pro League and the King’s Cup last season, in favor of joining Al-Hilal, who are one point above Al-Nassr at the top after 19 matches of the 34-match season.
“A big name,” Al-Hilal said in a social media post, sharing photos of Benzema posing in a club scarf. “Great ambitions. »
In a video message, Benzema said: “Hello fans. How are you? I’m happy to be here. I just landed from Jeddah. I’ll see you soon.”
Great name.. Great ambitions 💙
Welcome, 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐦𝐚 💫🤩 pic.twitter.com/SooNiFUz57
– AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) February 3, 2026
Benzema vs. Ronaldo
Benzema has eight goals in 14 league matches this season – one behind Al-Hilal’s top scorer Marcos Leonardo – and 16 goals in 21 games in total.
Ronaldo has 17 goals in 18 league matches and 18 goals in 22 matches in all competitions. Ivan Toney’s 18 goals for Al-Ahli make the former England striker the top scorer in the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League.
Benzema is yet to record an assist this season but has provided nine in 2024/25, all in the league. One of Ronaldo’s three assists in 2025/26 has been in the league, with three of his four assists last season coming in the division.
Cristiano Ronaldo contract
Ronaldo is yet to win the Saudi title despite top-scoring in the top flight in each of his two full seasons with Al-Nassr, which has potentially colossal financial muscle thanks to the country’s Public Investment Fund.
Shortly after Al-Nassr finished third last season – 13 points behind Al-Ittihad – Ronaldo appeared to strongly hint on social media that he had played his last match for the club.
He signed a new contract exactly a month later, having scored in Portugal’s triumphant Nations League semi-final against Germany and the final against Spain.
The five-time Champions League winner has scored 35 goals in 41 matches in all competitions for Al-Nassr in 2024/25.
Cristiano Ronaldo salary, salaries
On financial site Forbes’ all-time list of highest-earning athletes in a year, only boxer Floyd Mayweather eclipses Ronaldo, having pocketed around $300 million (£226 million) in 2015 and $285 million (£214.5 million) in 2018.
Ronaldo reportedly surpassed $1 billion (£771 million) in career earnings two years before becoming the highest-profile footballer to move to Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo’s first deal with Al-Nassr was widely reported to be worth £14.75 million per month, or £3.4 million per week. His annual salary is said to be £177 million, made up of £62 million from his football salary, supplemented by commercial bonuses.
Ronaldo has a variety of lucrative sponsorship deals, with his recent backers including Whoop, video game UFL and cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
Karim Benzema Real Madrid Statistics
Benzema’s 354 goals in 14 years with Real Madrid make him the Spanish giant’s second all-time top scorer behind his former teammate Ronaldo, who scored 451.
The 2022 world runner-up with France has said in interviews that he sees himself as an ambassador for football in Saudi Arabia, capable of attracting more elite European footballers to the league.
After leaving Madrid a year before the end of his contract, Benzema joined Al-Ittihad on a three-year deal in 2023.
Karim Benzema in Saudi Arabia
Benzema’s first season in Saudi Arabia produced a return of 13 goals and eight assists in 29 matches, which was low by his prolific standards as Al-Ittihad endured a turbulent 2023/24, finishing trophyless and sacking current Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo in November.
Former Barcelona sporting director Ramon Planes joined the nine-time champions in the same role he held at the Spanish giants in January 2024, and former Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc led them to glory in 2024/25, having taken over in July.
Benzema scored 25 times in 33 matches in all competitions last season, including 21 in the league. Ronaldo’s 25 goals earned him the Saudi Pro League golden boot.
Karim Benzema salary, salaries, contract
Benzema’s deal with Al-Ittihad allowed the club to pay him a salary of up to $100m (around £83m), according to Athletics.
He reportedly considered retiring last season and has said in interviews that he sees himself as an ambassador for football in Saudi Arabia, able to help attract more elite European footballers to the league.
Benzema has refused offers to return to Europe because his image rights agreement commits him to Saudi Arabia until 2030, according to ESPN.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Al Nasr schedule
Al-Nassr will be next to play at home against Al-Ittihad on Friday (5:30 p.m. GMT). Two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mané scored the only goal of the match – scored by Portuguese striker Joao Felix – in their 1-0 win at Al-Riyadh on Monday.
Al-Hilal remain unbeaten in the league but were held to a third straight draw with a goalless draw at Al-Ahli on the same day.
Simone Inzaghi’s team host Al-Hazem on Thursday (5:30 p.m. GMT). The matches are broadcast live on the Saudi Pro League YouTube channel.
