Did you know Karim Benzema has acquired a nickname in Saudi Arabia? However, unlike his other nickname “El Gato,” which he earned at Real Madrid for his cat-like performance on the field, his stint with Al Ittihad has earned him a less flattering moniker which translates to the “Son of Defeat.” Also given the recent result against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr, it appears that this nickname may stick with him for some time.
As the defending champions of the Saudi Professional League, Al Ittihad has failed to meet expectations, losing five matches already. The disappointing trend continued when they came face-to-face with Al Nassr, resulting in a disheartening 2-5 defeat. Along with the loss has come another big revelation regarding the viewpoint of Al Ittihad fans towards the French striker.
Karim Benzema may not like this new nickname
According to French newspaper L’Equipe, fans of Al Ittihad have been relentless in their criticism of the team‘s underwhelming performance since Benzema’s arrival. To express their disappointment, the fans have even resorted to creating a nickname for the player. Using a clever play on words, they have dubbed him “Ben-Hazima”.
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As for the meaning of this Arabic word, it translates to “the son of defeat”. This nickname is a direct reference to Karim Benzema’s inability to secure victories, despite his commendable goal tally of 12 across all competitions. Al Ittihad currently finds itself in the sixth position on the league table, a far cry from their previous success.
Additionally, they suffered a disappointing early exit from the FIFA Club World Cup after a defeat to Al Ahly in the second round. The recent loss to Al Nassr has only added to the list of disappointing defeats. Let’s also take a look at how the Al Nassr vs Al Ittihad match went down.
Al Nassr vs Al Ittihad- the breakdown of the match
Despite their previous losses, Al Ittihad put up a strong fight against Al Nassr in the first half. The score was level at 2-2 up until the 66th minute, but that is when everything changed. Fabinho received a red card which turned the tide of the game in favor of Al Nassr. Taking advantage of their penalty opportunity, Cristiano Ronaldo successfully converted it to score his second of the match.
Soccer Football – Saudi Pro League – Al Hilal v Al Nassr – King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – December 1, 2023 Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
Following this momentum, Sadio Mane also scored a brace within just a span of eight minutes. The match concluded with an impressive 2-5 victory for Al Nassr. Unfortunately for Karim Benzema, he was unable to find the back of the net during this game.
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What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
The post Karim Benzema Nicknamed ‘Son of Defeat’ in Saudi Arabia As Al Ittihad Demolished 2–5 by Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr appeared first on EssentiallySports.
