Karim Benzema has reopened a door many Madridistas assumed was locked. Speaking with a composure that belied the shockwaves his words would cause, the former Real Madrid striker and current Al-Ittihad star hinted that a return to the Bernabéu is possible—and he didn’t shy away from a key condition: Florentino Pérez.

Benzema, now 37 and turning 38 in December 2025, put it plainly: “If Florentino [Pérez] is still there, it could happen, it could happen. I talk to him and it’s possible. I’m a Real Madrid fan. I feel it in my soul. Madrid is still my city, I feel like a Real Madrid fan and a Madrileño. We’ll see what happens. If he’s there…” It was more than nostalgia; it was a public statement of intent wrapped in conditionality.

The quote that changed the temperature

In a single breath, Benzema bridged the emotional and the practical. He was measured about his life in Saudi Arabia—“I’m very happy here [at Al-Ittihad]; they show me a lot of affection. Players, fans, coach, people who work here…”—yet he admitted he still watches Real Madrid and the Champions League, “and imagine[s] what’s next.” For a player who spent 14 years in white, the gravitational pull remains powerful.

The nuance matters. This wasn’t a farewell to Al-Ittihad or a press conference to announce a swan song. It was a legend speaking candidly about a club that defined his modern career. And it reminded the football world that bonds like these rarely fade; they evolve.

“If Florentino calls, how do you say no? This feels like football destiny.”

The Pérez equation

For Benzema, the Pérez factor isn’t a detail—it’s the axis. He didn’t mince words: “I could never say no to Florentino Pérez. He’s someone I can never say no to. Florentino is special.” That’s more than deference to a president; it’s a declaration of trust forged across a trophy-laden era. From the elegant supporting act to Cristiano Ronaldo to the talismanic leader who lifted the 2022 Ballon d’Or, Benzema’s arc unfolded under Pérez’s stewardship.

Viewed through that lens, his hint becomes strategic. If Pérez remains at the helm, the alignment of relationships and institutional memory could clear a path other negotiations would complicate. It’s not just about football ability; it’s about the comfort of returning to an ecosystem that unlocked his best football.

Timing, contract, and the 38-year question

Benzema is under contract with Al-Ittihad until 2026, a deal that brought him to the Saudi Pro League in June 2023 on a free transfer and is worth a reported €200 million over its term. He’ll be 38 in December 2025. That timeline is crucial. While he hasn’t telegraphed a definitive exit, he also hasn’t shut the door on continuing beyond the current agreement—or on returning to Real Madrid when the contract ends.

He acknowledged active interest: “I have offers from Europe. I have to look at everything, choose wisely, and see where I feel comfortable, without forgetting that I feel good here and receive affection from everyone. But we’ll see. They ask me for things, and I give them things. Everything’s fifty-fifty, but there are things happening.” In other words, the market is listening, and so is Benzema.

“Is this romance or realism? If he’s fit and hungry, I’d take Benzema back tomorrow.”

Why Benzema still matters to Madrid

Beyond the sentiment, there’s cold logic. Benzema’s Real Madrid career is bordering on mythic: 354 goals in 648 appearances, 25 trophies, the 2022 Ballon d’Or, and status as the club’s second all-time top scorer. Those numbers carry a leadership and execution premium few can replicate. Even as football evolves and squads refresh, a proven goalscorer with institutional knowledge remains an asset—whether for a season, a month, or a monumental night in Europe.

There is also brand and identity. Benzema returning to the Bernabéu would be more than a tactical tweak; it would be a cultural statement. It says something about how a club honors its legends while still demanding excellence. It says even more about a player whose legacy at Madrid was forged through patience, consistency, and a late-career explosion that crowned him the world’s best.

The Saudi chapter is not a footnote

To frame a return as a reaction to struggles in Saudi Arabia would be a misread. Benzema has delivered for Al-Ittihad: 43 goals in 71 appearances and a double of the Saudi Pro League and King’s Cup in the 2024–25 campaign. He has repeatedly underlined the affection he feels from players, fans, and staff. That matters to the decision he’s weighing. Comfort and appreciation are not throwaway variables for stars in their late thirties; they are often the difference between extending a career and calling time.

“He left as a legend. Coming back would be pure cinema—but only if the football still makes sense.”

What a return could (and should) look like

Let’s be clear: nothing is agreed, and nothing is promised. Benzema himself has left every door ajar while committing to none. Any return would hinge on several checks aligning at once:

• The presidency question: If Pérez remains, the personal and institutional green lights are more likely.
• The club’s needs: Whether a veteran finisher fits the squad’s competitive plan at that point in time.
• Benzema’s own priorities: Balancing the affection he receives in Saudi Arabia with the pull of Madrid and offers from elsewhere in Europe.

If the stars align, a comeback wouldn’t need to be framed as a full-circle fairytale. It could be framed as an elite competitor choosing his final battles carefully—and a club leveraging his aura and intelligence in a targeted role.

The decision tree ahead

Speculation is now unavoidable, and perhaps that’s the point. Benzema’s words reignite a story rich with possibility, anchored by facts rather than fantasy. He watches Madrid. He speaks to Pérez. He has European offers. He feels loved in Jeddah. And, crucially, he has not ruled anything out.

That is how legacies evolve in real time: with patience, with leverage, and with a quiet acknowledgement that football’s biggest decisions are both head and heart. For Real Madrid supporters, the message is clear. The door isn’t wide open. But it’s not closed either.

As winter approaches and the calendar ticks toward 2026, don’t mistake this for a simple reunion rumor. It is a barometer reading from one of the modern game’s most reliable strikers, a player who knows exactly what he means to a club and a president who mean just as much to him. If the next chapter does happen in Madrid, it will be because the timing, the leadership, and the football all point the same way.

Until then, the Bernabéu waits—and listens for a familiar voice on the other end of the line.