Jose Mourinho speaks out about signing the Ballon d'Or winner

Jose Mourinho has denied the possibility of Karim Benzema returning to Europe, affirming that the French striker is happy at Al-Ittihad and has no plans to leave.

The new Benfica coach, Jose Mourinho, has officially quashed rumors about Karim Benzema’s potential return to European football. The Portuguese manager stated that the veteran forward is content at Al-Ittihad and sees no reason to leave Saudi Arabia at this time.

During his introductory press conference at Benfica, Mourinho was asked about the chance to reunite with his former player. He candidly replied: “This is the first time I’ve heard about this. We met when Benfica played a friendly against Al-Ittihad, but I believe the last thing Benzema is thinking about is coming back to Europe. At his age, having left top-level football to move to Saudi Arabia, his goal is no longer to return to Europe. Benzema is happy, has trophies, and financial stability.”

Since winning the Ballon d’Or in 2022 and leaving Real Madrid in 2023, Benzema has maintained impressive form for Al-Ittihad with 41 goals in 64 matches. Notably, he started the 2025/26 season strongly with a hat-trick against Al-Okhdood. Despite recently suffering a muscle injury, coach Laurent Blanc confirmed Benzema has returned to training and is likely to participate in the crucial upcoming match against Al-Nassr.

The coach-player relationship between Mourinho and Benzema was a highlight during their time at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. During that period, the French striker scored 78 goals in 150 appearances under the “Special One,” winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey together. This fond memory fueled speculation about a reunion at Benfica, where Mourinho has just taken charge.

However, the Benfica coach straightforwardly denied the possibility: “I can say almost certainly that it won’t happen. I don’t even understand why Karim’s name is being mentioned here.”

Currently, Mourinho has helped Benfica start positively with one win and one draw, bringing discipline and balance to the squad. Ahead lies a challenging Champions League phase, including a major clash with Chelsea at the end of September. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, Al-Ittihad continues to place high hopes on Benzema in the title race against Al-Nassr.