Key Takeaways:
- Karim Benzema definitively ruled out returning to Olympique Lyonnais as a player during a recent Instagram live stream
- Benzema has netted 24 goals in 29 matches across all competitions this season, representing Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League
- The striker expressed potential interest in a coaching role at Lyon after retiring, with a preference for working with youth players
Benzema Closes Door on Lyon Playing Return
Karim Benzema, aged 38, has categorically stated that he will not return to Olympique Lyonnais as a player. Despite ongoing speculation linking him to a move back to his formative club, the prolific striker ended such rumours during a live-streamed interview with rapper Rohff on Instagram, declaring, “I can’t [return to OL].”
Benzema’s professional journey with Lyon began before he made a high-profile switch to Real Madrid in 2009. Across 148 appearances for OL, he scored 66 goals, but those tallies will remain unchanged, with the Frenchman rejecting the idea of donning the Lyon shirt again as a player.
🚨 Karim Benzema 🇫🇷 sur un retour à l’OL : « En tant que joueur ? 𝗝𝗘 𝗡𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗨𝗫 𝗣𝗔𝗦. ❌
Pourquoi pas travailler là-bas après, mais comme joueur non. Coach ? 𝗣𝗘𝗨𝗧-𝗘̂𝗧𝗥𝗘.
J'aimerais bien d'abord entraîner les plus jeunes. Je n'aime pas trop la formation qu'ils… pic.twitter.com/Vgi34cOgkm
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) April 24, 2026
Ongoing Success in Saudi Arabia
The former France international continues to perform impressively in the Saudi Pro League. Having started the season at Al-Ittihad before joining Al-Hilal, Benzema has scored 24 goals in 29 games in all competitions this term. His current contract with Al-Hilal extends until 2027, suggesting his playing future remains outside of Europe for the foreseeable future.
| Club | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Lyon | 148 | 66 |
Potential Future on the Lyon Touchline
While Benzema made it clear that a playing comeback at Lyon is not on the cards, he expressed an openness towards a post-playing career with the French side, stating, “Why not go and work there after, but as a player, no. As a manager? I don’t know. Maybe. I would first like to manage the youth teams. I don’t like the training that they have. I would like to be close to the young players, I want to explain to them how I see football.”
For now, Benzema’s focus remains on his exploits in Saudi Arabia, but the door to a potential coaching future with Lyon remains ajar.
