The Saudi Pro League is now full of some of the biggest names in football.
Up and down the league, some familiar faces are taking football in the Middle East to the next level.
In this series we'll be profiling the best of them, as DAZN looks at the superstars of the Saudi Pro League, and this week it's Karim Benzema.
What's the story before Saudi?
Karim Benzema broke through as a teenager in Lyon, making his debut for the French club in January 2005, aged 18. It was quickly apparent what a talent the striker was, and he went on to score 66 goals in his first five seasons at the club, winning Ligue 1 titles before a mega-money move to Real Madrid.
His career was a slow burn in Spain but shone brightest of all by the end of his 13-year spell at the Bernabeu. Although he only failed to hit more than 20 goals in just three of those seasons, Benzema was often left in the shadow of Madrid's Galatico names like Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
However, upon the departure of Ronaldo in 2018, the Frenchman revelled in being the main man and racked up goals at an incredible rate, netting 44 in 2021-22 alone. His performances were so good he was awarded the Ballon d'Or and signed off from the Spanish giants having notched 354 goals - the second-highest in the club's history.
How did he move to the Saudi Pro League?
Despite being 35 when he left Spain, Benzema was not short of offers from Europe for his services, with several Premier League clubs interested in bringing the French striker to England.
However, he decided on a fresh challenge in Saudi Arabia and signed a three-year deal with Al-Ittihad, worth a reported £258 million.
"I am excited to experience a new football league in a different country," he said on signing with the Saudi side.
"I have been fortunate to achieve amazing things in my career and achieve everything I can in Spain and Europe.
"It now feels the time is right for a new challenge and project. I am looking forward to joining my new teammates and, together with them, help take this amazing club and the game in Saudi Arabia to new levels."
The Saudi story so far...
60,000 fans packed into the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium to see Benzema be officially paraded as an Al-Ittihad player, and even brought his Ballon d'Or trophy to show off to the supporters.
He scored and provided an assist on his debut on 27 July in a 2-1 victory over Espérance de Tunis during the Arab Club Champions Cup, and after some initial struggles to settle in, managed to score 16 goals in his first campaign but couldn't help the club retain the league title.
For 2024-25, Benzema was handed the captain's armband and has been of the league's most in-form players. So far this season, he's scored eight goals in eight Saudi Pro League games in a start that has seen Al-lttihad only lose one of their opening nine matches.
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How to watch the Saudi Pro League
DAZN customers in the UK and Ireland, Germany and Austria, Canada, and Belgium, as part of their subscription, will be able to watch three Saudi Pro League matches per week. Click here for more details
Watch more Saudi Pro with Al Nassr TV
Nassr TV at launch will be free to watch on DAZN, with viewers just requiring to register for a freemium account at no cost. Many top matches in the Saudi Pro League are already broadcast on DAZN.
Where is Nassr TV available on DAZN?
The channel will be available in multiple languages, including Arabic and English, catering to its diverse international fanbase.
DAZN has Saudi Pro League broadcasting rights in the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Germany, Austria, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Malta, Netherlands, Iceland, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
What you can watch on Nassr TV on DAZN
- Al Nassr Today: Direct from the training ground, the latest announcements, news, gossip, and exclusive interviews from players and coaching staff.
- The Locker Room: Unlock the tactics and techniques of the Al Nassr squad as legendary ex-players analyse training, matches, and skills every week.
- Inside Al Nassr: See the club from the inside out, with analysis from star guests, live link-ups to the training ground, and exclusive documentary features every week.
- Pre-Game Live: Feel the excitement like never before with our all access pre-match show, taking you live into the dressing room, the tunnel, and the stands until just before kick off.
- Watchalong Live: Join our panel of legendary ex-players and experts for our interactive watchalong show featuring live analysis, predictions, and in-game fan polls.
- Final Whistle Live: Get the real story as our football legend pundits head pitchside at the final whistle, capturing raw post-match reactions from players and coaching staff.
- All Eyes On Us: Get inside the training ground ahead of Al Nassr’s next fixture, with tactical analysis and predictions from our expert panel.
- Let’s Talk VODCAST: In this fun and revealing interview series, our players sit down one-to-one to share a glimpse into their lives and personalities off the pitch.