Benzema ruled out of Lyon return as Tolisso overtakes him in club scoring charts

Karim Benzema will very likely not end his career at Olympique Lyonnais, the club that shaped him. Free since August 30 following his contract termination with Al-Hilal, the 38-year-old striker has no plans to hang up his boots: an ambassador contract in Saudi Arabia and financial incentives to remain in the Saudi Pro League keep him in the Gulf’s orbit, while MLS represents another serious option.

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner nonetheless left an indelible mark on Lyon, where he scored 66 goals in 148 matches before joining Real Madrid in 2009. His 2007-08 season remains the benchmark: 20 goals, Ligue 1 top scorer award, and best player trophy in the championship for a striker already recognized for his elegance and team play.

It is now Corentin Tolisso who leads him on Lyon’s Ligue 1 goalscoring roll of honour. The midfielder and 2018 World Cup winner scored Lyon’s second goal against Angers on Sunday (2-0), bringing his league tally to 44 goals. He thus becomes the club’s 18th all-time top scorer and can target the top 15 by reaching 50 goals — which would allow him to surpass Sidney Govou by one.

The two Rhône natives were never teammates at Lyon: Benzema left for Real Madrid in 2009 when Tolisso was still a youth academy player, before making his professional debut in 2013. They did, however, meet under the France shirt, notably at Euro 2021. In the second group match against Portugal (2-2) in Budapest, Tolisso started while Benzema scored a brace for Les Bleus.