Karim Benzema, the star striker for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, told a reporter from the Spanish newspaper Marca that he will be supporting his former club, Real Madrid, in their 2026 Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
Benzema will play for Al-Ittihad in their match on Friday at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Buraidah, then return to Jeddah on Saturday to attend the Barcelona-Real Madrid match scheduled for Sunday.
Meanwhile, the 37-year-old will try to visit Real Madrid at their hotel (the Hilton) and meet with his former teammates before the Barcelona match, hoping to offer them encouragement to win the Super Cup title, which has eluded them for two years.
Benzema expects to return to Real Madrid once his playing career ends, given his close relationship with President Florentino Pérez. The Frenchman hopes to become an ambassador for the club or work in an administrative role at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The newspaper “Marca” also pointed out that the derby match against Atletico Madrid clearly demonstrated the overwhelming popularity of Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia, as the fans at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium were almost all supporters of Real Madrid.
