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Karim Benzema Reportedly Considering Retirement at Season’s End
Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema is reportedly contemplating retirement at the end of the season after a challenging stint with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, according to Relevo.
The 36-year-old striker, who joined Al-Ittihad on a lucrative £86 million-per-year contract, has faced reported off-field issues, despite an impressive return of 10 goals in 10 Saudi Pro League appearances. He remains just two goals behind top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic and level with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Although Benzema’s current contract runs until 2026, the club would reportedly not oppose his decision to retire, as it would relieve them of a significant financial burden.
The Frenchman is said to already be considering his post-retirement future, with Real Madrid keen to bring him on board as a club ambassador, leveraging his strong ties to the Middle East.
During his illustrious career at Real Madrid, Benzema scored 354 goals in 648 appearances, helping the club win 25 trophies, including five Champions League titles.
His stellar performances also earned him the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2022, following a season in which he netted 44 goals in 46 games.
Nigerian news analyst, Mahmud Jega, has shared his opinion on the recent airstrike carried out by the United States in Nigeria, stating that Nigerians should not blame President Bola Tinubu for the incident.
Jega made this statement during a recent interview, where he said he does not believe many people will hold the Tinubu administration responsible, as Donald Trump had issued threats against Nigeria long before Tinubu’s administration.
“No, I don’t think many people will blame the Tinubu administration for what is happening now because President Donald Trump, when he first made the threats, it was clearly not in coordination with the Tinubu administration or the government of Nigeria,” Jega said.
It has been reported that the United States carried out an airstrike targeting ISIS in the northwest region of Nigeria. The order was reportedly given by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist elements in northwest Nigeria,” Trump said.
He added, “I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially declared the holiday dates for the festive season.
Thursday, December 25 will be observed as Christmas Day, December 26 as Boxing Day, and Thursday, January 1 as New Year’s Day.
The declaration was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani. He also added that Nigerians should celebrate the holidays in faith and pray for the nation.
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