Benzema after debut hat…

Karim Benzema expressed gratitude to the Al Hilal fans after netting a hat trick in his debut for the Saudi Pro League club.

The French striker joined the league leaders from rival team Al Ittihad earlier in the week and made an immediate impact.

Benzema was named man of the match after scoring three goals and assisting another in Thursday’s 6-0 victory against Al Okhdood.

“I’m happy,” Benzema stated post-match. “I’m happy because I played well, the team performed well, we maintained a clean sheet, and we scored many goals. Thank you to all the fans. We need their support every game. Everyone has been great to me; they give me everything, so when I’m on the pitch, I give everything back to them.”

Benzema moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023 after an extensive career filled with numerous trophies. The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner played a crucial role in Al Ittihad’s victory in the league and King’s Cup last season.

However, at 38 years old, Benzema decided to transition to Al Hilal in January due to feeling disrespected by the contract extension proposed at Al Ittihad to continue with the club beyond June.

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