Benzema Saudi Arabia wins the championship: Veteran s "second spring" and Ronaldo s "midlife crisis"

When Jeddah reversed Alred 3-1 and locked the Saudi League championship ahead of schedule, the smile on Benzema's face formed a sharp contrast with Ronaldo's solemn expression on the Riyadh victory training ground.

These two former Real Madrid teammates are now experiencing completely different second half of their careers in the Saudi league.

Benzema proved that he was not old with a league championship, while Ronaldo is still struggling to pursue his first important trophy in the Middle East.

Benzema's second spring: The value of veterans is reshaping

Benzema's 21 goals and 9 assists in 28 games this season is enough to shut up any doubters. The 36-year-old French striker not only maintained amazing goal efficiency, but more importantly, he became the core driver of Jeddah United's gorgeous turn from the mid-range team to the league champion.

Judging from the data, Jeddah United fell behind the top 42 points last season to win the championship two rounds ahead of schedule. This transformation is a miracle. But behind the miracle is the chemistry brought by an experienced veteran like Benzema.

Royce's midlife crisis: Superstar's transformation dilemma

In contrast, Ronaldo's victory in Riyadh seems a bit embarrassing. Although the personal data is still impressive (23 goals lead the scorer list), the team's overall performance is difficult to match the Portuguese superstar's ambitions.

Currently, Riyadh only ranks fourth in victory, and may even miss the AFC Champions League Classic next season. This situation of personal shining and team bleakness reflects the general dilemma faced by superstars in the later stages of their careers.

Superstar strategy of the Saudi League: Success or bubble

Benzema's success and Ronaldo's dilemma also have to examine the crazy superstar strategy of the Saudi League in recent years. Since the 2022 World Cup, the Saudi League has attracted a number of European football superstars, including Ronaldo, Benzema and Neymar, with a sky-high annual salary. This strategy has indeed increased the attention of the league in the short term, but from the competitive perspective, the effects are uneven.

data shows that in the Saudi league this season, the average ranking of teams with superstar players has increased by 1.8 places compared to last season, but examples of huge investments but declines in performance like Riyadh victory are not uncommon.

The 35-year-old watershed for professional players: Experience and body

The story of Benzema and Ronaldo is essentially a vivid case study on how professional players should continue their careers after they are 35 years old. In the field of professional sports, 35 years old is often seen as an insurmountable watershed—the physical function begins to decline irreversibly, but experience and wisdom reach its peak. How to balance these two determines the success or failure of a player's second half of his career.

Benzema chose the path of adaptation and transformation, transforming from a pure scorer to a more comprehensive offensive core; while Ronaldo insisted on his iconic goal machine role. Which of the two strategies is better? Perhaps there is no standard answer, but the championship trophy in Benzema's hands at least proves that in some situations, adaptation and transformation may be wiser than sticking to oneself.

If you are Ronaldo, in the face of such a situation, would you choose to stick to yourself or seek change? Welcome to share your views in the comment section.