Cristiano Ronaldo reacts as Benzema comes to rival him in Saudi Arabia

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Al Nassr striker and ex-Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has welcomed former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema to the Saudi Pro League.

Benzema signed for Al Ittihad this week, ending his 14-year spell with Real Madrid.

Ronaldo is pleased to have Benzema in Saudi, even though the Frenchman will be playing for a rival club.

Ronaldo said: “When I accepted Saudi I knew that with that yes I would have opened the box.

“Karim arrives, but surely many more will go. In two or three years it will be one of the most important championships in the world.”

He also said at a presentation for his new Ursu alkaline water: “I’ve always been a very determined and very professional person. Health isn’t everything, but everything is nothing without health. I’m already at the end of my career. At most, I’ll still be playing for two or three years.

“I don’t rule out owning a club in the future. It’s something I thought about years ago and maybe I’ll buy one.”