The 2023 FIFA World Cup commenced in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, featuring a match between Al Ittihad and the Auckland City FC, champions of the OFC Champions League.
Serving as the opening act for this prestigious tournament, the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium buzzed with excitement as a record-breaking crowd of 50,248 spectators gathered for the inaugural game of the Club World Cup.
The football showcased lived up to the expectations, with Al Ittihad making a strong statement early in the night. Goals from Brazilian Romarinho Silva, French midfielder Ngolo Kante, and former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema in the initial 30 minutes secured Marcelo Gallardo’s team’s complete control of the match.
While the match seemed to follow a script of a decisive victory for Al Ittihad, the fans in attendance were treated to an intense display, witnessing the Saudi Pro League champions secure a spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Amidst Al Ittihad’s dominant performance, club captain Benzema also left his mark on Club World Cup history.
Benzema makes Club World Cup history
The 35-year-old forward, capitalizing on a close-range assist from fullback Muhannad Shanqeeti, achieved a historic feat by becoming the first player to score in four different editions of the tournament, as reported by Madrid Xtra.
Benzema’s scoring journey in the competition includes one goal in the 2014 edition with Real Madrid, two in the 2016 edition, and one in the 2022 edition with the Spanish club.
With a total of five goals across six different participations, Benzema now sets his sights on surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most goals in the competition’s history. According to FIFA World Cup on social media, the Portuguese star holds the current record with seven goals.
Benzema aims to surpass this record as he captains his team in the quarter-final showdown against the CAF Champions League victors, Al Ahly.