LONDON: French striker Karim Benzema has angered Al-Ittihad fans by deleting images linked to the Saudi club from his official Instagram account after its reactivation, it was reported on Saturday.
Hundreds of photos previously on Benzema’s account were deleted with only seven images linked to brands he promotes remaining. The footballer also appeared to only follow seven other accounts, including Al-Ittihad and former club Real Madrid.
The slimmed-down profile sparked a debate on social media, especially on X, where users were divided over Benzema’s decision to delete so many photos.
Majed Al-Ghamdi wrote: “Karim Benzema deleted all his photos with Al-Ittihad, and I hope they get rid of him.” He added: “(He is) a player who caused problems, disrupted the team environment and plunged it into a big whirlpool.”
A user named Atawi wrote: “We do not deny Benzema’s technical value, but the person who came to Al-Ittihad is different from Real (Madrid)’s Benzema.”
Another, named Mohammed Dawkhi, wrote: “The problem is that his performance was not even close to the Al-Hilal or Al-Nasr’s foreign players, and he is conceited.” A profile called Mimi Inter described Benzema as “a controversy lover, but the bench awaits him.”
However, some defended the Frenchman. Assal posted: “He wanted to convey messages and did all this to attract people’s attention to his account, (that’s) smart.” Similarly, Ahmed Al-Hilal wrote: “It is clear from his statement that he wants a team that supports him, with midfielders who serve him a lot and create opportunities for him.”
Benzema has made 15 appearances for the Jeddah giants, scoring nine goals in the process. But it has been a poor season by the club’s standards, sitting fifth in the Saudi Pro League table, nine points adrift of an AFC Champions League spot and 22 points behind leaders Al-Hilal.
