Benzema declares Al-Ittihad commitment: I'm here to be an ambassador

Karim Benzema insists he's committed to Al-Ittihad and the Saudi Pro League.

The former Real Madrid striker has been linked with a return to Europe after a series of flare-ups with management.

But Benzema told GQ Middle East: "Saudi Arabia is an exceptional place, I am at peace here, it is a new challenge that I like, a long-term project and in a Muslim country.

"I am not just a footballer here in Saudi Arabia, I am also an ambassador. I am here to bring other great European players in the near future, even if there are already some. The challenge is to raise the level of this championship and bring it to that of European tournaments."

On retirement, he added: "Time will tell, but I will be the one to choose when my career ends. I would like to be remembered as someone who started from the bottom and rose to the top on his own, despite the obstacles he faced. It's something that makes me really proud."