Unlike most transfer rumours, this one all happened very quickly. There were whispers that Karim Benzema might be tempted by an offer to play in Saudi Arabia on Monday. By Wednesday, he had supposedly told Real Madrid that he is going to sign for Al-Ittihad. And on Sunday, his departure from Santiago Bernabeu was made official.
The announcement marks a club legend bidding farewell to a side he brought so much success to. Still, Benzema has never really been a singular star at Real Madrid. For a long time, he had to be a player that relied on moments. From the second he joined Madrid from Lyon to the point of Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, Benzema was charged with being selfless. Often, he would vacate space for the Portuguese, or be the one passing to him. It's what led to Benzema being so underrated as a striker.
But after Ronaldo left, Benzema assumed the spotlight, a role he embraced entirely, cementing his reputation as one of the game's greats with some prolific goalscoring seasons for Champions League and La Liga-winning teams.
Still, he has been equally valuable in both eras and is the club's second-highest all-time goalscorer, with a winners medal for pretty much every trophy available in club football around his neck. But what are Benzema's best moments in a Madrid shirt? GOAL counts down his top 10...