N'Golo Kante, The Winner Of The French World Cup, Has Joined Saudi Champion AI Ittehad.
N'Golo Kante, the World Cup-winning midfielder for France, and compatriot Karim Benzema have joined Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad, the club announced on Wednesday.
"Kante is now a player for Ittihad!"
The 32-year-old is the latest in a long line of European athletes who are moving to the desert kingdom to make big-money moves in elite sports.
Kante, a dynamic and diligent midfielder for France in 2018, won the World Cup.
Additionally, his club career shines. With Chelsea, he won the Champions League and World Club Cup, and with Leicester City and Chelsea, he won the Premier League twice.
Kante's contract with the London club was set to end this month, and when they said goodbye to him, they gave him a nice tribute.
The Jeddah-based team said in a statement that he has signed a three-year contract with Al Ittihad, but it didn't say how much he will make.
The Saudi team stated: One of the most notable and significant signings in the club's history is Kante's addition to Al Ittihad.
He will don the same number seven jersey that he wore at Chelsea.
Benzema joined Al-Ittihad earlier this month after 14 years with Real Madrid, where he won five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles, and three Copa del Reys. He also holds the Ballon d'Or.
In a message to a fellow Frenchman, Benzema, 35, expressed his excitement in a video the club shared online: " I once told you that you are the best box-to-box player in the world. I'm glad to be back playing with you and, of course, the best Saudi team.
"I'm very excited to play for the Tigers," Kante stated.
Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, joined Al-Nassr in January after being signed by the kingdom's league.
Ruben Neves, a fellow Portuguese international currently playing for Wolves, is reportedly planning to join Al Hilal.
Despite a lengthy Saudi courtship, Argentina legend Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, decided against making a similar move and will instead join Inter Miami in the United States.
Saudi Arabia, a conservative monarchy that is frequently criticized for its human rights record, quickly rose to prominence in international sports thanks to its oil wealth.
Hosting the World Cup in football is likely to raise Saudi Arabia's profile and prestige as it tries to diversify its oil-dependent economy by attracting investors and tourists.
Saudi Arabia will host the men's Asian Cup football tournament, the Asian Games in the style of the Olympics, and even the Asian Winter Games in 2029.
The state's sovereign wealth vehicle, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), owns 80% of Newcastle United, which finished fourth in the Premier League last season.
The PIF has also caused controversy in golf. It supports LIV Golf, whose conflict with the PGA Tour almost led to the sport's dissolution.
Only a year after LIV Golf launched with several stars who had jumped from the PGA for big-money offers from the upstart series, a surprise merger of the rival tours settled a legal dispute this month.
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