Why Karim Benzema’s Fairytale Return to European Soccer Collapsed

Karim Benzema was reportedly close to returning to European soccer to write the final chapter of his career back where it all began: at boyhood club OL Lyon.

According to L’Equipe, Lyon considered making a move for the 38-year-old striker earlier in the summer. The report went as far as to say that Benzema would’ve been open to returning to the Ligue 1 side even if he had to play for free, “out of love for OL and his hometown.”

Benzema was still under contract with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal when the possibility of returning to Lyon surfaced, complicating his return to Europe. Eventually, Lyon switched gears and signed Belgian striker Loïs Openda on a cheap, season-long loan from Juventus.

However, after featuring in Al Hilal’s opening three games of the term, Benzema’s time at the club came to an abrupt end. L’Equipe claim he never saw eye-to-eye with manager Simone Inzaghi, and despite scoring 10 goals in 16 appearances for Al Hilal, he reached a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract in the final weekend of August.

Benzema became a free agent and is still looking for a new home.

Why Karim Benzema’s Return to Lyon Didn’t Happen

The major hurdle that prevented Benzema from returning to his boyhood club came in the form of the ambassador contract he signed with the Saudi Pro League when he joined state-owned club Al Ittihad after leaving Real Madrid in the summer of 2023.

Apart from his salary, Benzema was also benefiting from the lucrative deal he signed to be one of the commercial faces of the Saudi Pro League, and that contract is valid until 2030.

The deal, though, hinges on Benzema playing in Saudi Arabia and particularly at clubs owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF)—such as Al Ittihad and Al Hilal. The deal essentially makes it impossible for Benzema to play anywhere but Saudi for the duration of the contract.

As a result, it’s unrealistic for Benzema to return to Lyon—or anywhere else in Europe—until the end of his contract in 2030, at which point he’ll be 42. Without a club and with limited options to find a new home, the possibility of retirement grows by the day.

Benzema made his debut at 17 with Lyon and went on to score 66 goals in 148 appearances for the club. He won four Ligue 1 titles and was named the best player of the French league in 2008–09, his final season at the club before he joined Real Madrid.

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner returning to Europe to finish his career at his boyhood club would’ve been a fairytale. Now, though, it appears that there’s a high chance that Benzema has already played his last professional game.

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